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Living Well with Dementia: Caregivers of People with Dementia-Part I by Lisa Clark OTR, Program Coordinator of Living Well with Dementia In a recent issue of “OT Practice” from the American Occupational Therapy Association, an article is featured about the needs of caregivers for people with dementia. Occupational therapists are uniquely skilled at considering needs of caregivers because of their orientation toward staying healthy through activity. Activity for health is important for the person with dementia as well as the caregiver. The Living Well with Dementia Program offers evaluation, recommendations and individual or group treatment for people with memory issues. Caregivers are an important support for people dealing with memory loss. In addition, there are some helpful hints for caregivers, making their work with their loved ones a little easier. Sometimes these seem to be the opposite of what one might think is the best care technique. Decreasing stress...
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Recently a member of The Atrium at The Cedars retirement community had looked into donating some expensive medications that she had paid for herself but no longer needed, and that had not yet expired. She had asked her physicians – who did not have any suggestions. After contacting Elizabeth McLellan at Partners for World Health, she immediately accepted Gloria’s generous offer and brought them to the warehouse one afternoon in May. Here is a photo of Gloria with Elizabeth, after touring the huge warehouse full of medical equipment and supplies. That day, United Way was there volunteering their time to help sort and pack the supplies. Did you know that in the United States, we throw away billions of dollars of perfectly good medical supplies every year? Elizabeth McClellan, founder of Partners for World Health in Scarborough, Maine, faced this reality as a nurse in Portland’s largest hospital every time she...
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by Beth Sheppard, Development Director at The Cedars Some people’s wills were written decades ago. Without regular review and updating, such wills can create confusion and needless expense for surviving family members. The following life events usually require a modification of your will: Marriage or remarriage Birth or adoption of a child or grandchild Divorce A child or grandchild reaching legal adulthood Death of a spouse Increase in the value of your assets or acquisitionof new assets by gift or inheritance, or purchase of real estate Giving away or selling assets mentioned in your will The death of a beneficiary named in your will A move – especially to a different state Your executor or trustee dies, moves, or becomes disabled You should take time at least once a year to review your will to ensure that it is up to date with your current needs and circumstances. Set...
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The members at The Atrium at The Cedars are an interesting and varied group – which can be seen in the ways they choose to spend their time in retirement. The excursions and gatherings at The Atrium include book clubs, Tai Chi classes, concerts in classical and jazz, season tickets to symphony and stage, and lectures in history and current events. In addition to all of this, there is a strong thread of artists which invigorate our Art Studio on a daily basis. Recently, we held an exhibit for our community which included an eclectic selection of works all created by our members at The Atrium. The artists used such media as watercolor, acrylic, oil, and paper – and the results were stunning. At the opening, President and CEO Kathy Callnan asked a few of our artists where they found their inspiration. Several of the artists did not start...
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The Cedars is introducing a state-of-the-art strength training program for our retirement community residents living in independent living and assisted living. Sharon Leddy-smart, Lifestyle Coordinator at The Atrium and Angie Hunt, Director of the Hoffman Center recently presented this exciting new program to the members at The Atrium, The Cedars independent living community. Angie and Sharon pointed out that aging is a natural process, and we all age differently. Several studies show that exercise not only improves quality of life, but also helps people live longer lives. The ten bio-markers of age, which are reversible include: Muscle Mass – Decreases Strength – Decreases Basal Metabolic Rate – Decreases Body Fat – Increases Aerobic Capacity – Decreases Blood Pressure – Increases Blood Sugar Tolerance – Decreases Cholesterol/HDL Ration – Decreases Bone Density – Decreases Body Temperature Regulation – Decreases The Cedars new program is an innovative wellness program focused on strengthening...
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Wellness Tips from Sharon: May is National Arthritis Month By Sharon Leddy-Smart, Lifestyle Coordinator at The Atrium, Independent Living at The Cedars Arthritis is the leading cause of disability among seniors and includes at least 100 different medical conditions affecting the joints. Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid are two of the most common forms, typically resulting in pain, stiffness and fatigue. Although the physiology of the diseases varies, many individuals have found a definite link between the kinds of food they eat and their arthritic symptoms. Dr. Rod Danoff, D.O. of The Arthritis Foundation explains that an increased intake of highly refined simple carbohydrates, fatty foods, alcohol and sugary drinks have resulted in flares of arthritic pain and accompanying body symptoms in arthritis sufferers. Inaddition, some patients have noticed an actual improvement in their symptoms, or a decline in their flare-ups, when consuming a more nutritious and well-balanced diet, including Oily fish such as...
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Ken Murray, Director of Volunteer Services at the Southern Maine Agency on Aging, gave the keynote address at the 2012 Volunteer Recognition Dinner at The Cedars. About 50 volunteers attended, including a group from The Atrium, The Cedars’ independent living facility. According to Murray, success after retirement depends on staying healthy, which includes healthy eating habits, exercise, lifelong learning, a social network, and a sense of purpose. Volunteering, he noted, can help provide that sense of purpose for seniors. “Serving others helps them, it helps us, and it helps our community – and it is a very American value,” he said. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 26% of U.S. citizens do volunteer work each year, at an average of 51 hours per year. (Those 65 and older often provide as much as 96 hours per year!) This adds up to a whopping 8.1 billion hours of...
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Spring Into Fitness and Start Walking Now that spring is officially here, it’s a great time to get outside and get active and healthy. There are plenty of ways to get our heart pumping outside, but one of the easiest ways is to walk or hike. Walking is a low-impact aerobic exercise which helps strengthen our cardiovascular system, keeping our weight at a healthy level and protecting us against diseases such as diabetes and some forms of cancer. Research has shown that the benefits of walking 5 times per week for 30 minutes can helpyou: Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels Improve blood lipid profile Maintain body weight Enhance mental well being Reduce the risk of osteoporosis Reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer Reduce the risk of diabetes For more information on starting a springtime exercise program, contact Sharon Leddy-Smart,...
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We enthusiastically welcome our new chef, Simon Thorpe, to The Atrium at The Cedars. Simon is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and was an apprentice and chef at several five star restaurants from Chicago to Daytona Beach. He grew up in Liverpool, England and Ontario, Canada, moving to Maine in 1988 where he continued his culinary career with Unum Provident’s Business Catering Services and with another senior living community in New England. Simon joined The Cedars last month but has already made a significant impression. The members are thrilled with Simon’s creativity to date, as he compliments the menu with an assortment of personal specialties, such as his signature Yorkshire pudding, and various seasonal delights. Simon explains that he enjoys talking with the members in the dining room as the evening winds down, “meeting with the members and getting feedback is one of my...
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by Lisa L. Clark, MS, OTR/L, Program Coordinator of Living Well with Dementia “Living Well with Dementia” is a new program being offeredat The Cedars, for people with memory issues. Lisa is an occupational therapist who is the Program Coordinator for Living Well with Dementia. She has thirty years of experience working with people who are over 65. In the course of her career she has also provided services to people with dementia, to help them participate in activities that are meaningful for them. Lisa graduated from the University of New Hampshire with undergraduate and graduate degrees in Occupational Therapy. She has worked in many healthcare settings such as acute rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation, dementia care and consultation in Assisted Living, home health services, and acute hospital settings. Lisa has also taught at the University of Southern Maine for over 15 years, in their Occupational Therapy program at the Lewiston-Auburn campus. She...
