Juniper Village at Williamstown: Our Clinical Outcomes Speak for Themselves

We want to be your partner of choice in the new shared savings environment. At Juniper Village at Williamstown, we have been collecting critical data for nearly 10 years. For example, we closely monitor residents to assure successful returns from either the hospital or rehabilitation setting.

The ability to manage pressure ulcers is key to minimizing hospitalizations. Low rates of facility
acquired pressure ulcers are the result of a high level of wellness/clinical oversight and an indicator of quality care and service.

Another common cause of both initial hospitalizations and re-hospitalizations is medication errors. Changes to medication regime whether after a scheduled physician appointment or emergency hospitalization can leave patients confused about what medications are most current. Our wellness team is responsible for medication reconciliation and management, a process which virtually eliminates medication errors.

Communication is key and Juniper Village at Williamstown takes communication to the next level through:

• Use of Electronic Health Records (Point Click Care)
• Optimized care transitions protocols
• Full implementation of INTERACT (Interventions to Reduce Acute Care Transfers)
• Use of a highly recognizable and consistent transfer information packet
• Focus on resident and care giver education and engagement
• Individualized care and service

Contact us today to see how we can assist you in managing your patient transitions.

Celebration of New Beginnings In Williamstown!

Wow what a joyful closeout to 2014, with our Annual Holiday Celebration Event! We celebrated in full Williamstown style! Residents, families, and friends throughout the area communities had a wonderful time! We enjoyed entertainment throughout the month, including inter-generational experiences with our local school community choirs and much more. Santa had a bit of a problem with our residents allowing him to get on with his very busy schedule, They secretly wanted to keep him here with us full time!

We then kicked off the New Year in great anticipation of 2015! We celebrated with very special guests and string bands that delighted everyone! We also continue nurturing the spirit of all with residents Birthdays, ringing in their special new year with creating a very special day for them!

Join us in 2015 as we welcome New Beginnings and continue to bring joy, health, love and vibrancy of life to all within our reach!

Where Words Fail, Music Speaks

We are very excited about our programs this month that revolve around the many facets of music.  This year we will be introducing the Music and Memory Program into our Wellspring community here at Williamstown.  We have three events scheduled in the upcoming months and invite you to join us!

January 22^nd at 2:00 PM: ALIVE INSIDE SCREENING An inspirational and emotional story left the audience humming, clapping and cheering at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award. The film dramatically portrays the power of music and memory. Refreshments will be served following the screening along with discussion on how music impacts each of us daily, especially those who live with dementia. See the trailer.

  

February 5^th at 4:00 PM: MUSIC THE MAGIC HEALER Join us to hear Deborah Scott, Dynamic Dementia Professional, Certified Geriatric Case Manager, discuss how music can help those with dementia. She will show how different types of music can soothe, stimulate or spark a memory. She will share her insights for using Music and Memory to achieve this goal.

February 19^th at 2:00 PM: MUSIC AND MEMORY OPEN HOUSE Celebrate the power of music with the family and staff of Wellspring Memory Care at Juniper Village Williamstown!  During this session we will be creating our own playlists, reminiscing our favorite moments in musical history, while enjoying some hors d’oeuvres.  Feel free to drop off a used iPod or an ITunes gift card to get the Music and Memory Program up and moving for our residents! 

If you are unable to make any of our upcoming events, or have questions about Music and Memory, please contact our Connections Director at 856-740-4444.

Welcome New Beginnings: January Events

Welcome to 2015! What a wonderful time for us to reflect on the past year and forge ahead with new beginnings. January is a time for change when we make and sometimes break our New Year’s resolutions and focus on what we want to make better in the coming year.

January is also the month that Juniper Village begins our Winter Alive In All Seasons theme of Creative Expressions: “Explore Your Creativity” where in January we will focus on music! Research shows that music can help us physically by easing pain, helping us sleep better, eat less and enhance our blood vessel function. It is also suggested that music can help us mentally by reducing stress, relieving symptoms of depression, elevating mood, decreasing anxiety and improving cognitive performance. Hospitals are using music to help cancer patients manage stress and anxiety and to ease recovery in stroke patients.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our 2015 Community Kick Off Event to kick off the New Year in Joy and Celebration a festive party featuring a wonderful String Band performance along with special guests “The Mummers”, as well as seasonal winter wines and delicious refreshments on January 8^th at 3:00 pm; our “Get Hip-Don’t Slip” Presentation by Genesis Rehab an educational presentation featuring guest speaker, Grant Welson, MPT, MBA, to provide excellent information and important tips on falls risks and prevention techniques on January 12^th at 3:00 pm; our Elvis Presley Birthday Tribute Event where we welcome everyone to come sing along to your favorite tune as we stroll down memory lane remembering the Legend of Elvis who would be celebrating his 80th birthday this year on January 18^th at 3:00 pm; or our Alive Inside Screening of the inspirational and emotional film dramatically portraying the power of music and memory that left the audience humming and cheering at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award on January 22^nd at 2:00 pm!

Look through our calendar and join us this month as we explore our creativity through music with outings to local musical performances, Elvis’ birthday celebrations and concerts by our Joyful Noise Choirs. We invite you to Welcome New Beginnings at Juniper Village and make a habit of joining us for activities and events throughout the year!

Juniper Communities Appoints New Regional Director of Wellness and Wellbeing

Juniper Communities announces that Melissa “Missy” Ebner has joined Juniper as Regional Director of Wellness and Wellbeing. Missy brings a wealth of experience in nursing care, especially with seniors to her position. From a clinical perspective, her role will be to oversee the entire portfolio of clinical care and support for the residents, provide clinical oversight, and staff training. She is a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) in every state where Juniper currently has communities.

“We are very excited to have Missy join the Juniper family,” expressed Lynne Katzmann, CEO of Juniper Communities. “She comes to Juniper with a wonderful background and deep experience in the clinical complainants of senior living. She will be a great resource for our community wellness teams and to the home office team in this changing healthcare environment.”

Missy’s interest in working with senior living communities is that they offer residents more freedom than skilled nursing settings. “The seniors can be taken care of in a homelike environment and you can become a friend, not seen as a nurse or caregiver,” she explained. “Juniper’s staff is wonderful at treating the residents as a parent or grandparent, this doesn’t always happen in institutional settings.”

Juniper Communities owns and operates Personal Care, Assisted Living, Memory-Care, Skilled Nursing and Independent Living communities in NJ, FL, CO and PA.

“Nobody is as forward thinking as Juniper. They are far ahead of the curve in the industry and where healthcare is going. The staff I’ve observed go above and beyond, always doing more even though no one is looking,” Missy described of her building level observations.

Missy Ebner has worked in the healthcare industry since 1987. She received her LPN from the James Martin School of Nursing in 1987 and her RN from Excelsior College in 2005. She is a resident of Willow Grove, PA and born and raised in Pennsylvania. She has been married to Henry Ebner for 26 years and has three children, Corey, Shane and Cassidy.  Something her family and friends know about her is that she loves to shop the Outlets, and loves a good bargain!

Celebrate Little Things: December Events

This month is all about celebrations! Not only will we be celebrating holidays such as Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve, but we will also celebrate the little things that make life worthwhile. Little things such as the reassuring touch of a friend’s hand, a kind word from an acquaintance and a warm smile from a stranger.

In our all too busy lives we sometimes forget to honor the simple things in life that bring us peace and joy. Most experts recommend that we allow 10-20 minutes of relaxation and stress relief each day. Making time for that can even be a stressful experience! During this busy month of baking, shopping, visitors and juggling tasks take time to remember what is really important.

Here are some tips to keep holiday stress in check: Acknowledge your feelings - you are not alone as holiday stress is not uncommon. Be realistic with expectations - you can only do so much, learn to say no. Ask for help when needed - everyone wants to be needed and may feel more included by being able to contribute. Plan ahead to minimize unplanned expenses and tasks. Take a breather - take a walk at night and do some stargazing, listen to soothing music, or get a massage. Above all enjoy all the holidays have to offer by sharing time with others.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Annual Holiday Extravaganza as we experience the special traditions of the season with beautiful music, dancing, décor and family and friends on December 4^th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm; our Holiday Cookie Exchange where we will be so happy to enjoy the uniquely special cookie recipes of family, friends and our community while listening to beautiful holiday music and having a great time catching up on December 5^th from 10:00 am to 11:00 am; or our Holiday Community Performance for a very special gifted presentation featuring Special Guest Guitarist, Justin Weiner, for a wonderful celebration of music and artistry during the holidays on December 30^th from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm!

Look through our calendar and join us during the busy month of December for our annual cookie exchange and holiday celebrations. Take time to Celebrate Little Things with those you love!

Residents of Juniper Village at Williamstown Warm-heartedly Welcome Visits by Students Attending Rowan University

Through a wonderful partnership, approximately 25 students attending Rowan University visit residents living at Juniper Village at Williamstown several times throughout the year. The students interact with the residents, listen to their stories, talk with them, engage them in activities, and play games such as bingo and charades.

The partnership began in 2011 when Teasha McAllister, Connections Director for Juniper connected with Andrew Perrone, Rowan’s Volunteer Coordinator and subsequently Alexis Johnston, his team member at Rowan Volunteers. Perrone and Johnston took it upon themselves to facilitate and create a wonderful Inter-generational program between Juniper’s residents and Rowan University students. It was the beginning of what has become the enjoyment of a mutually successful relationship.

The most recent visit by the Rowan students was to hold Rowan Bingo Day for the residents.  David Shanks, age 27, who is working toward his Masters’ Degree in Higher Education commented on the volunteer work, “Find the joy in every moment and share it. Bingo is my lingo!”

Other comments by the students involved in the volunteer effort included:

“I love the joy of being welcomed back each time as family.” Alexis Johnston, age 22, Graduate Masters’ Degree Student, MBA Management

“I love sharing the gifts placed inside me with others in need.” Nabria Allen, age 20, Sophomore, Bachelors’ Degree Law and Justice

“I love enjoying memories and creating new ones.” Stephanie Gomez, age 21, Senior, Bachelors’ Degree Education and Math

The students visit with the residents for about one and half hours. “The residents love when the students visit. They connect with them; and, the students themselves are absolutely wonderful,” expressed Teasha McAllister on the partnership.