Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
The Cedars is dedicated to incorporating wellness throughout our community – for our members, residents and staff. The opportunities to embrace wellness could not have been greater than at our annual Wellness Fair at The Cedars. Vendors from over 20 stations and organizations were there to share their knowledge and services with our community – and everyone indulged in healthy snacks, yoga classes, massage therapy and paraffin dips. Giveaways included a Kindle Fire, and various gift baskets to Dick Sporting Goods, The Cedars Spa and Healthy Eating and Cooking. The Cedars thanks the participating vendors who partnered to make this a great event: Acadia Insurance Harvard Pilgrim – information and cholesterol screening Guardian Dental American Heart Association Cancer Community Center 2-1-1 Maine US Foods Community Counseling Center Hannaford Scarborough Family Chiropractic Walgreen’s Blood Pressure Screening Hula Hooping Portland Maine...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
The Cedars has been enjoying the internet more than ever this summer, thanks to the help of volunteer Michael Michaelson. An upcoming freshman in high school at Wayneflete in Portland, Michael has been visiting members in our retirement community every Thursday morning since June. During his time here, he busily runs from one apartment to the next assisting members and leaving them quite pleased. For instance, he connected one member to skype so she could talk with her daughters who both live in Italy. Another member proudly announced that, because of Michael’s tutelage, she not only knew when her mouse needed new batteries, but she was able to change them herself. Other members are accessing e-mail and FaceBook for the first time – and love it! Michael explains that his work with seniors is quite rewarding. When he saw the “huge” need for seniors to connect on the internet,...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
The Cedars commitment to wellness can be seen throughout the community, from tai chi instruction for members to yoga classes for staff. A particular program that is gaining increased popularity is our water aerobics or “Aquazcize” as we refer to it. Sharon Leddy-Smart, Director of Lifestyles at The Atrium independent living, is also a personal trainer, triathlete, and mother of five – and touts the benefits of water aerobics for the senior population. The Atrium’s pool is considered therapeutic as it is heated to over 87 degrees Fahrenheit. Sharon’s classes focus on coordination, mobility, balance, range ofmotion and core stability. “It’s great for people dealing with arthritis because it’s no-impact, and the heat helps warm the joints to allow for greater range of motion.” Member Florence Strauss explains that “it is the only time I can walk pain-free, when I’m exercising in the pool.” Sharon states that the water is...
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Help with Aging Parents: Four More Ways to Make the Most of Visits – Part III By Melanie Desjardins, Manager of Care Coordination at The Cedars The third part of our series on making the most of a visit with a loved on at The Cedars, senior living community. For more help, contact our Care Coordination department. 1. Have grandchildren bring or send along artwork, papers or projects from camp or school. The delight that many residents get from seeing the works of children is wonderful – and the children benefit as well, receiving input and kudos from older adults. 2. Plant and take care of an indoor/outdoor garden cart. Our outside patio is beautiful this time of year. Talk to the Life Enrichment staff for this activity. In addition, taking a leisurely stroll through our community pathways provide a great opportunity to enjoy the flora. 3. Do crossword or jigsaw...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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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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...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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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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...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
Best Retirement Living: Sleep Study at The Osher Inn Assisted Living by Katie Druan, Life Enrichment Coordinator at The Osher Inn A good night’s sleep will cure most anything that ails you. It is a common experience that the way a person feels during the day is in direct relationship to the amount and quality of sleep that they had the night prior. To explore the topic further, The Osher Inn Assisted Living at The Cedars hosted Occupational Therapy students from the University of New England for a four session program that involved residents keeping a simple sleep log and having interactive discussions with the students about what can be done to improve the quality of sleep. The program is optional and open to all Osher Inn residents. After recording in their log, residents will have a better idea of their individual sleep patterns as well as learn tips...
