Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
Each year at The Cedars Retirement Community, we have the difficult task of choosing one person to represent The Cedars as the volunteer of the year. It presents a challenge, because everyone here has remarkable talents and gifts that they share with our residents. This year we recognized Mary Goff a volunteer whom is originally from Green Bay Wisconsin and has followed us throughout history, volunteering for many years at the Jewish home and now present day here at The Cedars. Currently she visits daily with multiple residents, assists the Life Enrichment department with activities and transport, assists residents from the Osher Inn on Regional Transportation Program (RTP) trips and even accompanies residents to their medical appointments. Her overall volunteer experience spans 30 years and includes, Big Brother Big Sister, Habitat for Humanity, Ingraham Volunteers and she has even helped to establish the Portland Chapter of Pine Tree Epilepsy. She is compassionate, enthusiastic...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under News and Events.
Come join us for an afternoon of jazz with Maine pianist, performer and arranger, Tom Snow Monday February 25th, 2013 For more information or to reserve your seat, call...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Latest News.
Health and Wellness: Taking Care of Our Hearts February is Health Healthy Month and a great opportunity to take inventory of our heart wellness. As we age our hearts become less efficient and have to work harder to pump the blood. Here are several ways we can promote heart health taken from livestrong.com. If you have any questions about healthy living, stop in and see Sharon Leddy-Smart Lifestyle Coordinator at The Atrium at The Cedars. Exercise: Exercise is related to your cardiovascular health, and as an older person it’s important for you to be active. Exercise 30 minutes daily, even breaking it into three 10-minute sessions. Even moderate exercise, such as brisk walking 30 minutes daily, provides many benefits to your heart health. Exercise can improve circulation, help you lose weight, aid in smoking cessation, improve blood cholesterol levels, help manage stress, reduce coronary heart disease in women by...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Latest News.
With the flu season in full swing, The Cedars residents and staff are well equipped with their vaccinations and the enforcement of a community-wide regime of excellent hygiene through frequent hand washing and good respiratory etiquette. Until the season behind us, The Cedars asks that visitors and staff who are showing any signs of cough, fever or congestion to stay home for 24 to 48 hours after their symptoms have resolved. To stay ahead of the flu season curve, The Cedars Director of Nursing, Susan Dionne-Jones has been in frequent contact with the Maine Center for Disease Control as well as local hospitals for updates. To protect yourself and others, we recommend: Washing your hands often with warm, soapy water Keeping your hands away from your face When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue or your upper sleeve or elbow Do your best to stay...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Latest News.
Health and Wellness: November is Diabetes Awareness Month by Dianne Vigue, Resident Wellness Manager at The Osher Inn, assisted living at The Cedars Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of frequent urination, frequent thirst and increased hunger. There are two main types of diabetes that affect seniors. Type I results from the body’s failure to produce insulin and requires the individual to inject insulin or wear and insulin pump. Type II results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, which used to be called “non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus”. Both are chronic conditions and their accompanying complications can be treated and kept under control with the...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
Since November is COPD Awareness Month, the nurses and therapists at The Cedars would like to share some easy tips on ways we can make life easier for someone suffering from this disease. COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is an incurable disease that affects the lungs and other parts of our body. The main cause of COPD is cigarette smoke, as well as work-related exposure to inhaled substances. People suffering from COPD have difficulty breathing, primarily due to the fact that their lungs have lost elasticity, which makes inhaling and exhaling very difficult. In addition, increased mucus in the lungs and the body’s decreased ability to transfer oxygen into our blood combine to make it the third leading cause of death in our country. If you know someone with COPD, here are some suggestions for ways to ease their burden, directly from Deborah Leader, RN at About.com Guide: Help...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
How will you spend time during your retirement? Will you delve into a lifelong interest or pursue a new one? At The Atrium at The Cedars retirement community, the members are mixing the old with the new. First-time endeavors include senior college courses, Tai Chi or yoga classes. For many at The Cedars, a lifelong interest is painting: portraits, landscapes, still life … anything. These members who make up our very own ‘artist’s colony’ just love to paint. At this week’s Fall Member Art Show, the proof was on the walls. The members living at The Atrium kindly shared their works, and the visitors, staff, and residents were amazed at the talent and perspectives of the residents at The Atrium. As passionate as they are, they were equally distinct. One member’s paintings evoke scenes from children’s literature, while another perfectly depicts Maine winters. The display provided insight into our...
Posted in our blog on by Angie& filed under Latest News.
The Healing Effects of Pet Therapy By Janine Fifield, Life Enrichment Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator at The Cedars Retirement Community “Love is the most important medicine and pets are one of nature’s best sources of affection.” – Anonymous Most of us are already aware of the wonderful benefits of being in the presence of our beloved pets. And here at The Cedars, we are honored to be a training community for local therapy dogs. On any given day, we have from one to five furry friends engaging with our residents and offering not only their unconditional love, but also their profound and medically proven healing effects. Residents in nursing communities who have regular visits from pets are more receptive to medical treatment and nourishment. It is also well established that touch is very important for our minds and spirits. For most people, the touch of an animal is safe, non-threatening...
Posted in our blog on by Angie& filed under Featured.
By Diane Vigue, RN, Resident Wellness Manager, The Osher Inn at The Cedars “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” — John F. Kennedy Change is a regular part of life. It is all around: in the seasons, in our social environment, and in our own bodies. Beginning with the first few moments of life, a person learns to meet change by being adaptive: your very first breath depends on your ability to adapt from one environment to another. And, just as the seasons change, our health and or living situations may change. Meeting the challenges and going on strong is up to you and depends on using the strengths you have used your entire life to deal with difficult situations. How can we cope with change as we go through life? Our thoughts...
