“We experience a deeper connection to events in our lives that we associate with music,” says Nick Viti, OTR/L, Manager of Life Enrichment at The Cedars. “Certain songs conjure up very rich and specific memories. For anyone experiencing memory loss, music is a powerful tool.” Thanks to a generous new grant from the nonprofit group Music and MemorySM, The Cedars has exciting new ways to use the power of music to help residents preserve and protect their memory, calm or uplift their emotions and enrich their lives. The Cedars received the entire Music and MemorySM program, an assortment of iPod shuffles, headphones and music downloads as part of the grant. Staff are working with families and loved ones to craft customized playlists for each resident, and to choose music connected with events in each resident’s life story. “Do you ever turn up the radio on your way to work...
“We let families visit whenever they want. All they have to do is ring the doorbell, just like home.” —HANNAH TEMPLE, RN, The Skilled Care Center at The Cedars THE CEDARS is a bright and bustling place during the day, but the compassionate care and sense of community don’t stop when the sun goes down. In fact, they don’t even slow down. It gets quieter, but The Cedars still hums with activity after dark. “Part of creating a homelike environment is letting residents and patients create their own schedules,” explains Hannah Temple, RN, Evening Shift Supervisor. “We have early risers and we have night owls—and we take the very best care of both.” EVENING SHIFT An admitted night owl herself, Hannah has always loved working evening shift. Hannah and her team begin working at 3PM, helping residents get ready for dinner, socialize in the evening and prepare for bed....
Are you anticipating a short-term, inpatient rehabilitation stay in the near future? If so, The Cedars Rehabilitation Team would like to provide you with some insight into the experience. As patients enter the rehabilitation process, we recognize that they are not feeling as “whole” as they had been; they’re suffering a loss of health and may be uncertain about putting trust into the rehabilitation team. This key team consists of physical, occupational and speech therapists, nursing staff, dietician, physician and care coordinators who are all there to assess your needs and arrange a treatment plan with you. The medical staff largely focuses your medical issues – the reason you were admitted to the hospital. While the therapists concentrate on helping you get back to “doing.” Sometimes returning to your prior level of activity comes in phases where you need to learn compensatory strategies during an interim period. For instance,...
Posted in our blog on by Tracy& filed under Featured, Giving.
The Cedars welcomed our community to join us in commemorating a powerful and pivotal moment in the Grow Bold With Us Campaign. THE DAY BEFORE the groundbreaking ceremony for the much-anticipated Sam L. Cohen Households, construction crews arrived at The Cedars to begin tearing down a building set on the corner of our campus, clearing the way for the construction to come. By the time honored guests, supporters, community members, staff, and residents arrived on September 21, enormous excavators surrounded the crisp white event tent. The air was charged with excitement, optimism, and change. After so much hope and hard work, the first senior living community to implement the Household Model in Maine and New England was about to be the first to construct a residence specifically designed to be a true home for seniors. CREATING HOME Long before The Cedars broke ground for this innovative new building, our...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Latest News.
WHEN Mary Carol Pochebit began experiencing increasingly severe medical and mobility issues, she and her husband, John, faced a difficult choice. They wanted to stay together in the home they had shared for over 50 years. But Mary Carol needed more assistance with the activities of daily living than John could provide, and more acute medical care than she was eligible for at home. “We have a big, close family,” John explains. “But only one of my sons lives close by. I couldn’t even get Mary to her doctor appointments without calling him.” Like many seniors, the Pochebits had many apprehensions and misconceptions about nursing homes like The Skilled Care Center at The Cedars. Today, they are so glad they didn’t let those fears keep them from finding Mary the care she needed. Because Mary had a customized care plan from our medical director, 24/7 support from our nursing...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Atrium, Featured.
We recently did a workshop with our residents on the basic principles of Progressive Relaxation, with the main benefits of that practice being improved comfort and stress relief. Another complementary exercise is Guided Imagery. Guided Imagery offers similar benefits, but can be more widely used and requires less physical skill; it is one of the more attainable adjunct therapies. Guided Imagery is essentially an elaborate name for directed daydreaming, with the vast possibility for changing one’s mood and sense of wellness. All types of people, from star athletes to patients with significant illness, have successfully used Guided Imagery to focus their thoughts in a positive, healthful direction. Guided Imagery in the healthcare setting can be used as a means of encouraging relaxation, reducing anxiety, and as a method of distraction from discomfort. It is important to remember that the use of Guided Imagery, like other supplemental practices, cannot and...
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.
The staff and management at The Cedars have a constant eye towards providing excellent care in a compassionate environment. Making this commitment to ourselves and the community requires continual insight and self-evaluation. For the past ten years, The Cedars has held an annual Family Forum which brings together the families and friends of our Skilled Care residents. The Forum creates the opportunity for us to hear from our family members what is working well for their loved ones and where we can make improvements. The general topics of discussion stem from results of a survey that are sent to residents and families in advance of the event. Through thoughtful design, we ensure that the Forum facilitators create an open and encouraging atmosphere for discussion. The feedback and suggestions we receive are highly valued and ultimately incorporated into our planning processes and program development. This year, follow up meetings with...
“We experience a deeper connection to events in our lives that we associate with music,” says Nick Viti, OTR/L, Manager of Life Enrichment at The Cedars. “Certain songs conjure up very rich and specific memories. For anyone experiencing memory loss, music is a powerful tool.” Thanks to a generous new grant from the nonprofit group Music and MemorySM, The Cedars has exciting new ways to use the power of music to help residents preserve and protect their memory, calm or uplift their emotions and enrich their lives. The Cedars received the entire Music and MemorySM program, an assortment of iPod shuffles, headphones and music downloads as part of the grant. Staff are working with families and loved ones to craft customized playlists for each resident, and to choose music connected with events in each resident’s life story. “Do you ever turn up the radio on your way to work...
“We let families visit whenever they want. All they have to do is ring the doorbell, just like home.” —HANNAH TEMPLE, RN, The Skilled Care Center at The Cedars THE CEDARS is a bright and bustling place during the day, but the compassionate care and sense of community don’t stop when the sun goes down. In fact, they don’t even slow down. It gets quieter, but The Cedars still hums with activity after dark. “Part of creating a homelike environment is letting residents and patients create their own schedules,” explains Hannah Temple, RN, Evening Shift Supervisor. “We have early risers and we have night owls—and we take the very best care of both.” EVENING SHIFT An admitted night owl herself, Hannah has always loved working evening shift. Hannah and her team begin working at 3PM, helping residents get ready for dinner, socialize in the evening and prepare for bed....
Are you anticipating a short-term, inpatient rehabilitation stay in the near future? If so, The Cedars Rehabilitation Team would like to provide you with some insight into the experience. As patients enter the rehabilitation process, we recognize that they are not feeling as “whole” as they had been; they’re suffering a loss of health and may be uncertain about putting trust into the rehabilitation team. This key team consists of physical, occupational and speech therapists, nursing staff, dietician, physician and care coordinators who are all there to assess your needs and arrange a treatment plan with you. The medical staff largely focuses your medical issues – the reason you were admitted to the hospital. While the therapists concentrate on helping you get back to “doing.” Sometimes returning to your prior level of activity comes in phases where you need to learn compensatory strategies during an interim period. For instance,...
The Cedars welcomed our community to join us in commemorating a powerful and pivotal moment in the Grow Bold With Us Campaign. THE DAY BEFORE the groundbreaking ceremony for the much-anticipated Sam L. Cohen Households, construction crews arrived at The Cedars to begin tearing down a building set on the corner of our campus, clearing the way for the construction to come. By the time honored guests, supporters, community members, staff, and residents arrived on September 21, enormous excavators surrounded the crisp white event tent. The air was charged with excitement, optimism, and change. After so much hope and hard work, the first senior living community to implement the Household Model in Maine and New England was about to be the first to construct a residence specifically designed to be a true home for seniors. CREATING HOME Long before The Cedars broke ground for this innovative new building, our...
We recently did a workshop with our residents on the basic principles of Progressive Relaxation, with the main benefits of that practice being improved comfort and stress relief. Another complementary exercise is Guided Imagery. Guided Imagery offers similar benefits, but can be more widely used and requires less physical skill; it is one of the more attainable adjunct therapies. Guided Imagery is essentially an elaborate name for directed daydreaming, with the vast possibility for changing one’s mood and sense of wellness. All types of people, from star athletes to patients with significant illness, have successfully used Guided Imagery to focus their thoughts in a positive, healthful direction. Guided Imagery in the healthcare setting can be used as a means of encouraging relaxation, reducing anxiety, and as a method of distraction from discomfort. It is important to remember that the use of Guided Imagery, like other supplemental practices, cannot and...