Two State College senior living communities honored

STATE COLLEGE — Juniper Communities recently announced through a press release that two of its communities in State College received the Excellence in Care Dementia Programs of Distinction recognition by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

This national, elite and coveted status involves meeting the AFA’s rigorous standards for dementia care settings and involves a thorough examination process including an on-site visit and consultation. The standards reviewed include safety and security, staff training, activities, interpersonal communication, and meeting residents’ physiological, functional and social needs.

This is the first time Juniper Village at Brookline Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing has received the award, and the second time for Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care.

“Throughout the past two years, with the distractions of a pandemic, the focus of the Brookline Skilled Nursing Facility team has remained to provide exemplary care and services. I am proud of each team member, as their dedication to individualized memory care needs for the residents they serve is receiving the national recognition it so deserves,” said Kathryn Bainbridge, nursing home administrator, Juniper Village Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing.

Katie Mannino, executive director, Juniper Village Wellspring Memory Care, also thanked and congratulated everyone and said, “I am so very proud of the team at Wellspring for achieving this award once again. Excellence is something we strive for every day in everything we do. Receiving this Excellence in Care award is another great way to recognize and acknowledge the dedication of this team to provide quality care and services to the community.”

In a congratulatory letter from Charles J. Fuschillo Jr., president and CEO, AFA, he said it is a great honor to congratulate Juniper’s teams on receiving The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Excellence in Care Distinction Award; and their memory care and skilled nursing communities will be recognized as models for dementia care in their community and nationwide.

Excellence in Care is believed to be the first national program involving comprehensive standards, on-site evaluation and consultation to promote continual performance improvement for dementia care settings, such as assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, continuum of care residential communities and adult day programs.

The voluntary standards are part of AFA’s mission to raise the bar on dementia care in the United States and reflect what AFA believes to be the essential components of any quality dementia care program. It also provides families with a means by which to measure facilities.

“As founder of Juniper Communities, this is a wonderful affirmation that our teams are carrying out our mission of making the world a better place by providing the best possible care and nurturing the spirit of life in each resident we serve,” said Lynne Katzmann, founder and CEO, Juniper Communities. “I applaud and thank them for tireless efforts.”