The Cedars’ Wellness Coordinator, Sarah Bartell, offers our seniors a variety of exercise classes and educational programs on wellness and health. More of our community member are seeing the benefits and fun in participating, at whatever level they want – and Sarah is now offering more opportunities to join in. Here are a few notes from Sarah on the benefits of exercise classes:

Why Join an Exercise Class?

• Accountability
• Social interaction
• Learn new exercises
• Energy in numbers
• Well rounded workout
• Learn the correct form

Not to mention the benefits of exercise – just to name a few: Improve strength, bone density, flexibility, stability = stay healthier longer, fewer falls, and more. Try a class that interests you! Here are some of the programs that we offer at The Atrium:

• Tai Chi Classes
• Integrative Yoga
• Aquacize in the Pool
• Walking Group
• Strength Training
• Bend, Balance and Bone
• Train Your Brain with Cardio Workout
• Zumba Gold
• Personal Training Sessions

For more information on living at The Atrium, contact our Marketing Representative at 207-221-7100

The Cedars has maintained a strong commitment to wellness for years through programs for our members, residents and staff alike. And now we are thrilled to announce a new position at The Cedars which ramps up our focus on wellness even further, through enhanced programming for our seniors. The Cedars recently welcomed  Sarah Bartell, Community Wellness Coordinator, to our community.

Sarah’s role will serve as a complement to our current Life Enrichment offerings at The Atrium independent living, and The Osher Inn Assisted Living. Currently, our Life Enrichment calendar includes strength and resistance training, yoga, water aerobics, tai chi, walking groups, and Zumba gold. With the addition of this new position, our residents will experience a twofold change.

First, they will find a greater variety of fitness classes and educational sessions on nutrition and wellness. And secondly, they’ll have the option to participate in routine fitness assessments to determine their baseline strength and wellness, as well as gains along the way. Sarah will work individually with each senior to establish their personal wellness goals and monitor their progress. Although this program is completely optional – we’re finding a great deal of enthusiasm coming from our residents.

Sarah received her B.S. in Exercise Science from St. Joseph’s University and has worked in personal training, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, and as a health mentor. Stay tuned further updates on Wellness at The Cedars. Contact us today for more information on wellness at The Cedars.

Kathy Callnan, President and CEO at The Cedars, joined other leaders in long term care at the May 28 Regional Forum in Boston Massachusetts. At the fourth and final regional forum leading up to the Conference in Washington, DC in July, gathered together are seniors, caregivers, advocates and community leaders to discuss the issues facing older Americans. Check out the video of the morning’s presentations, which was followed by four breakout sessions: Elder Justice, Retirement Security, Long Term Services and Support, and Healthy Aging.

The 2015 White House Conference on Aging will highlight the contributions of older adults today and help inform the landscape of aging policy for the future. The Boston Regional Forum is an important part of this dialogue.

The Boston Regional Forum is an opportunity to hear directly from you on key issues such as ensuring retirement security, promoting healthy aging, providing long-term services and supports, and protecting older Americans from financial exploitation, abuse and neglect.

Working in collaboration with the AARP and the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, a coalition of more than 70 of the nation’s leading organizations serving older Americans, we want to ensure that your voice is part of our work.

The Cedars recently joined the EMHS Beacon Health Pioneer Accountable Care Organization, or ACO, one of the experimental new models of care driven by the efficiency requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

We sat down with David Polisner, MD, of Mercy Hospital, for the inside scoop. His grandfather is a long-time member of The Atrium at The Cedars, so Dr. Polisner has wonderful insight into the impact ACO membership will have here.

“An ACO is a group of providers coordinating patient care to control costs and promote quality,” Dr. Polisner explains. “The standards for membership are high. When Mercy joined the EMHS network and the Beacon Health Pioneer ACO, The Cedars was our natural partner. Many of our providers already send patients to The Cedars because the care is excellent and our missions are so closely aligned.”

Dr. Polisner believes our ACO will immediately benefit a select group of Medicare patients:
• Qualified Medicare patients will get the right care in the right place in the fastest time
• Doctors will communicate more effectively to seamlessly coordinate their care.

“Patients needing skilled nursing care have to stay three nights in the hospital before Medicare will pay for treatment here,” explains Angela Hunt, Chief Operating Officer at The Cedars. “Because of our ACO membership, Mercy can send qualified patients who need our services at the Rehabilitation or Skilled Care Center right away, where they can access specialized care in a less stressful environment, all at a lower cost.”

While the ACO is still in its trial stages, Dr. Polisner knows more benefits for more patients lie ahead. “The relationship between our organizations—aligned and working together— will bring only good things,” he says.