John Watson of The Cedars Receives National Award for Advocacy

Posted by Katharine

The Cedars is proud to announce that John Watson, Chief Financial Officer at The Cedars, has been elected to receive the Outstanding Advocacy Award from LeadingAge, a national association representing 6,000 non-profit aging-services organizations throughout the United States.

The award honors John Watson as a tireless advocate at the State level for educating legislators, executive branch officials, and fellow nursing facility administrators regarding Maine’s current system of reimbursing nursing homes.   Through his governor-appointed position on the Commission to Study Long Term Care, John worked with State Representatives to introduce a bill for a more equitable allocation system for care provided in nursing homes. In doing so, John was integral in reforming Maine Medicaid’s system of nursing home reimbursement and thereby assuring continued access to care for Maine’s oldest and frailest.

 

Wellness Fair

Posted by Katharine

Wellness Fair at The Cedars
Thursday August 9 from 10AM to 2PM
This is a great chance for our staff and residents to get wellness tips and helpful information. Raffles and prizes!

Volunteers: at the Heart of The Cedars

Posted by Katharine

Looking back over the years, it’s clear that The Cedars would not be the thriving community it is today had it not been for our volunteers raising nickels and uniting a strong passion for “change” to support our residents.

Today that spirit is fully ignited and contagious as ever, with a diverse variety of volunteers sharing their talents and giving back in unique ways that offer immeasurable returns. Our volunteers continue to be the cornerstone of the compassionate care that we strive for, offering creative approaches that enhance lifestyle choices and honor individuality.

It has been said that the heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but instead by the depth of commitment to make a difference in the lives of others. In being of service to others, there’s a sense of strong connection to those around us and in turn we can become inspired by the experience of giving back. Throughout our community there is a perpetual flow of giving, from our seamstress volunteer Meagan, mending items for our residents each week and creating community quilts for everyone to enjoy, to our spa volunteers Katie and Carol, offering gentle hand massages, conversation and companionship as our residents relax and enjoy the ambiance of the spa. Lending a hand with Bridge, there’s volunteer David with his quick wit and humor. Our community is strengthened by the thread of diversity that is volunteerism.

As we continue to passionately forge ahead with exciting new projects on our campus and within our community we extend gratitude to the volunteers that have come before us, the ones that continue to walk beside us. Each and every single person has helped us build the legacy that we have become today, a true testament that our volunteers are truly the heart of who we are and deeply comprised of our past present and future.

With the summer upon us and more travel in the future for our residents, we have openings for Activity and Outing Assistants, Come and accompany our residents to lunch or for a scenic ride to a favorite ice cream spot!

If you have a talent you’d like to share with our residents or for more information on our volunteer program, please contact: Janine Fifield, Manager of Volunteer Services. jfifield@thecedarsportland.org 2017-221-7036 or visit our website at www.thecedarsportland.org

 

The Cedars Celebrates Our Staff

Posted by Katharine

On July 19, The Cedars will hold a summer BBQ for our employees and give special recognition to those who have served between 5 and 35 years. Thank you, Staff at The Cedars, for all of your hard work, commitment and caring!

Happy Fourth of July

Posted by Katharine

The Cedars wishes everyone a sparkling Fourth of July
filled with pride, honor and fun!

CNA Plus Graduation at The Cedars

Posted by Katharine

On June 25, The Cedars graduated another class of certified nursing assistants from The Cedars CNA Plus. For the past year, The Cedars has been partnering with Southern Maine Community College and the Root Cellar to provide opportunities for bright, compassionate people to start a career in healthcare while addressing the growing need for caregivers, particularly for our aging population.

Angie Hunt, Chief Operating Officer and Susan Dionne-Jones, Director of Nursing, congratulated our graduates and gave a heart-felt thanks to Nancy Rodick, RN Instructor for her guidance and expertise over the past several months of class and clinicals. CNA Plus not only provides nursing assistant instruction but also teaches additional skills that are becoming more valuable in the healthcare setting.

Special guest speaker, Brenda Beaulieu, Business Relations Manager at SMCC expressed how proud she is of our graduates as they each worked a job, many managing a family, while going to school. A great level of commitment and a first step into a new and exciting future. For more information on the CNA Plus program at The Cedars, contact us today at 221-7150.

Opening Minds through Art at The Cedars

Posted by Katharine

What can an art therapy program for seniors with dementia teach all of us?

All the participants in this Opening Minds through Art (OMA) class sing “You Are My Sunshine” as sunlight pours across worktables and paint is poured into palettes. Before the studio work begins, Pamela Moulton, artist in residence, sparks curiosity and delight with a performance art piece.

“I want to wake us all up,” Pamela explains, showing off her vibrant hat and whimsical apron. “Intergenerational play infuses all my art. We all crave that joy.”

It’s true. Smiles are everywhere as the artists, who are residents of The Cedars with dementia, confer with their personal facilitators, undergraduate students from the University of New England (UNE). While the seniors learn today’s art technique, the students learn about therapeutic work with seniors. And as the works progress, students express sincere admiration and help each artist choose a title for their painting. Abstract art has become a language they can share—and a lifeline.

“We teach abstract art because it doesn’t try to replicate objects in recognizable ways,” adds Nick Viti, Director of Life Enrichment. “It expresses them in fundamental ways, like colors and shapes. There’s no frustration or failure here.”

Family members and loved ones are welcome to observe or participate in the class. “They’ve seen their loved one struggle so much,” Nick says. “Families are moved to tears as they watch their loved one succeed.”

When Angela Hunt, Chief Operating Officer, first heard about an intergenerational art program from Scripps Gerontology Center in Ohio, she knew it was a perfect fit for The Cedars. The Cedars Auxiliary agreed, and raised funds to develop Maine’s first OMA program. “The Auxiliary made it possible,” Angela says. “Staff need certification, and we needed a working artist to teach, and artist grade supplies for all the projects.”

Angela tapped Nick to direct OMA, and he saw its potential immediately. “OMA gives residents with dementia a means of self-expression, lots of choices and a fun change in routine,” he says. “These are core elements of all of our programs.”

In other OMA programs, volunteers assist the residents. The Cedars decided to take it further. “We made it a college course,” Angela says. “We wanted to inspire the next generation to work in the field of gerontology.”

Partnering with Elders: Health and Creativity, piloted by graduate students at the University of Southern Maine under the stewardship of faculty member Tammy Bickmore, was a smash hit with everyone involved. Angie turned to long-time collaborator Joe Wolfberg, MS-OMOC, a faculty member at UNE Westbrook College of Health Professions, for help creating a credit course.

Joe has worked with seniors, students and The Cedars for over 30 years, and he is a passionate believer in nurturing creativity and connections. “Everybody is a teacher,” Joe declares. “We all have so much to give each other at every stage of our lives. As students listen to these elder teachers, they learn how to honor aging in all its forms.”

“We’re really breaking down barriers here,” Nick agrees. “We’re introducing young students to seniors with dementia and showing them how much they have to offer, and how we can best support them.”

So what can we all learn from OMA?

Live in the Moment … Dementia patients, with so much of their experience lost to them, encounter everything as new and must live fully in the moment. As great artists have shown us, the ability to see the world differently can offer deep insight. The art created in OMA reveals that seniors with memory loss retain a valuable, and powerful, perspective on our world.

… and Make the Most of the Moment “I’ve taught many art classes,” Pamela says as she gathers up the supplies. “This is special. I always leave this class feeling so alive.” And as everyone sings the closing song, “This Little Light of Mine,” everyone can feel it—the lightness and brightness of all of us, all together, shining.

For more information on OMA and other innovative programs at The Cedars, contact Nick Viti at 207-221-7000.

The Benefits of Community Retirement

Posted by Katharine

High School

Thinking about a move to a retirement community?  Although this transition can seem overwhelming at first, people who have made the move report that it was one of the best decisions they have ever made for themselves.  They are able to enjoy a rich social life, . And their reasons are as much practical as they are personal.

Most people are either moving from the home that they’ve lived in for years or from a residence to which they’ve already downsized.  Some move from out of the area to be closer to their adult children while others have lived in Maine for much of their lives.  In either case, the benefits of living in a retirement community are many and include a rich social life, worry-free living, and freedom from the hassles of home repair and maintenance.

Freedom from Managing a Home. No more worries about maintaining a home, managing the upkeep, or even changing a light bulb.  Many retirement communities have staff that takes care of snow removal and property maintenance, both inside and out.  Housekeepers clean your apartment weekly, provide seasonal intensive cleaning, and at The Atrium we offer weekly flat linen service.  If anything arises – like a light bulb that’s gone out – simply call the front desk for staff assistance.

Access to Dining, Exercise, Cultural Events and More. Many communities provide extensive in-house options as well as excursions to local happenings.  You will find yourself enjoying meals with new friends and choosing from exercise classes, swimming in the pool, attending lectures or concerts, playing bridge, or relaxing in your apartment. Throughout the week, most communities arrange for excursions. At The Cedars we go to area restaurants, plays, the symphony, museum exhibits, or a senior college class.  Outings that were once a special treat become part of your everyday life.

Transportation. Scheduled rides to doctor’s appointments, your accountant, the grocery store, or the library help keep you independent. Many communities offer opportunities to schedule these personal trips in addition to the community excursions on their events calendar. At The Cedars, residents schedule their own trips throughout the week. Even those residents who drive their own cars enjoy this personal service, especially in the winter months.

Peace of Mind that comes from knowing that staff is right there, in the event they are needed.  And should additional personal support be necessary on either a short or long term basis, many communities like The Cedars offer home health support services as well as a continuum of senior living options on their campus, such as assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing services.

All of these conveniences and amenities lead to a lightness of spirit in knowing that your many of your needs will be met and that visits from friends and family will be just that – time to enjoy lunch in the café, a walk around the grounds, or a swim in the pool with those you love. You can enjoy life and get back to living.

Community Education: Liliane Willens at The Cedars

Posted by Katharine

The Cedars was  honored to recently host Dr. Liliane Willens  as she presented to a packed house, sharing her riveting story of growing up in China during World War II under the pressures of foreign invaders and civil war as recounted in her most recent book, Stateless in Shanghai.  Lily spoke energetically for more than an hour about her experiences living in Shanghai, often injecting humor among the political and social details of this tumultuous time.

Scholar, memoirist and humanitarian, Dr. Willens has conducted hundreds of lectures and interviews across the United States, Europe, Asia and into Africa. She has presented at Georgetown University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stonehill College, the University of Maine, the Library of Congress, and to the Joint Harvard/MIT Washington Clubs.

Born of Russian parentage in the former French Concession of Shanghai China, Liliane and her family experienced World War II under the Japanese military occupation and after the war, the Chinese civil war between the Nationalists and the communists. While waiting for her immigration visa, Liliane lived two years under the newly established People’s Republic of China.

Upon immigrating to the Unites States, Liliane studied French and 18th Century French Literature at Boston University and taught at Boston College as well as Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Later moving to Washington, DC, she worked for the US Agency for International Development and the Peace Corps.

The Jews of Shanghai was part of The Cedars Community Education Series. For more information about our community, contact us at 207-221-7100.