At The Sam L. Cohen Rehabilitation Center at The Cedars, we are focused on helping people to continue living at home as long as possible. Occupational Therapists are particularly helpful in offering suggestions for positive “aging in place” for seniors who want to stay at home for as long as safely possible.  These professionals understand how changes to the older adult’s living environment can make a significant difference in how well and happily they are able to participate in the activities that are important to them.

The New York Times recently published an article in the ... Read more here.]]> By Lisa Clark, MS, OTR/L, Program Coordinator for Living Well with Dementia

At The Sam L. Cohen Rehabilitation Center at The Cedars, we are focused on helping people to continue living at home as long as possible. Occupational Therapists are particularly helpful in offering suggestions for positive “aging in place” for seniors who want to stay at home for as long as safely possible.  These professionals understand how changes to the older adult’s living environment can make a significant difference in how well and happily they are able to participate in the activities that are important to them.

The New York Times recently published an article in the Health section about alternate living environments for elders who want to be closer to family, titled “In the Backyard, Grandma’s New Apartment.”  Here is the link:  http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/01/in-the-backyard-grandmas-new-apartment/#?emc=lm&m=680838&l=4&v=2727807

As described in the article, one option for customizing the home is the “MEDCottage” – a small, pre-fabricated cottage consisting of a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette, which some families have erected in their back yards.  This innovative concept apparently started in Australia.

Some of the safety features include padded, rubber floors to help prevent injuries with falls, well placed grab bars for safety, and of course everything on one level.  There is
an option for a lighted pathway from the bed to the bathroom – which lights up when the person steps onto it. Monitoring devices can be attached to medication boxes that indicate if medication was taken or not.  Tracks in the ceiling can be installed to accommodate lifts, allowing for easier transfers and moves when limited mobility takes its toll. Another company, P.A.L.S. – Practical Assisted Living Alternatives, manufactures pre-fabricated additions to an existing home. The P.A.L.S. comes with many of the same safety options that the separate pre-fabricated homes have.

Certainly this option has a significant cost associated with it, and some of these adaptations and installations have been available for several years.  Occupational Therapy
practitioners can assist families, caregivers and clients in figuring out what activities are important to the elder, where there may be safety issues, and what some potential solutions might be. 
Sometimes Assisted Living is the best solution – offering assistance where needed, and availability of desired social participation in a supportive environment.  For further information about living options for older adults – please contact Lisa Clark at The
Cedars, 207-221-7000.

at The Atrium, Independent Living at The Cedars

Tuesday May 22, 2012 at 11AM

RSVP to 207-221-7100

The Cedars gives thanks to all women who have

nurtured, inspired and loved.

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 ... Read more here.]]> 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. In
addition, 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 salmon that contain omega 3 fatty acids
• Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Beverages such as water or other non-alcoholic, low-sugar or sugar-free drinks 

Dr. Danoff goes on to say that a combination of medication, exercise and lifestyle changes, including better nutrition provide a greater relief of symptoms. Healthy diet helps to
ensure your body is getting the needed amount of vitamins and minerals to help in its’ battle against your arthritis. For more information, he suggests meeting with a registered dietician to get the most up to date nutritional advice on the road to healthier living.

For more information on healthy eating and exercise, contact Sharon at 207-221-7100.

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 ... Read more here.]]>

Volunteer Coordinator Janine Fifield, Lifestyle Coordinator Sharon Leddy-Smart, Volunteer Nancy Goddard, and Executive Director Angela Hunt

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 service provided each year. It would cost $173 billion to pay for the same number of services.

Nancy Goddard, who has served as the volunteer coordinator for movies shown throughout The Cedars community since 2003, was named Volunteer of the Year.

Volunteers at The Cedars help in so many ways: the Auxiliary provides programming and raises monies to purchase special equipment for our residents; others make one-on-one visits with residents or bring their pets or children in for friendly visits. Still other volunteers provide recitals and other musical programs, help keep our various libraries in order (including staffing the popular book cart), help residents with meals, and share their expertise by lecturing, reading the daily newspaper, or facilitating book groups.

If you would like to learn more about how you could volunteer at The Cedars, contact Volunteer Coordinator Janine Fifield at 221-7000.

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:

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 ... Read more here.]]>

Simon Thorpe, Chef at The Atrium

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 favorite parts of the job.”   

We’re thrilled to have Simon on-board, and look forward to his future culinary
creations.

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, ... Read more here.]]>

Lisa Clark, Program Coordinator

by Lisa L. Clark, MS, OTR/L, Program Coordinator of Living Well with Dementia

“Living Well with Dementia” is a new program being offered
at 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 enjoys seeing students become excited about facilitating people’s engagement with activities that are
important to them.  Some students also discover that the world of working with people with dementia is very exciting and rewarding, as well.

Too often people assume that a diagnosis of dementia is an ‘end’.  The philosophy of the “Living Well with Dementia” is just as the title implies – people can live well with dementia.  More and more research is showing that people can continue to contribute, be active and keep living life well, even after a diagnosis of dementia.  Occupational therapists help people participate in meaningful activities for health and wellness. An occupational therapist can break activities down into separate pieces or steps, and then use people’s remaining skills to continue to do parts of activities, or the whole activity, just in a different way. Keeping brain and body active is important for health  –  including people with memory issues.

The “Living Well with Dementia” program is an exciting next step for Lisa, in keeping people well and engaged in life, despite memory issues.

Maine State Historian Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr.

Kindly RSVP to 221-7100 if you would like to attend

By Paige Roth, Development Assistant at The Cedars 

The Cedars Auxiliary is always on the lookout for new members.  And what better way to bring people together than stand-up comedy? On March 29, The Cedars Auxiliary Comedy Night featured performances by comedians Johnny Ater, Kate Ghiloni and Karen Morgan, who kept the audience in stiches.   

While anticipating the start of the show, the crowd mingled over snacks provided by The Cedars dining services and libations donated by Shipyard Brewing Company and USA Wine West. The lights flickered and the audience took their seats.  

Auxiliary President Suzie Berzinis welcomed her guests, thanked Event Chair Marjorie Ferris and introduced the first act, Johnny Ater. ... Read more here.]]> Make ‘Em Laugh: The Cedars Auxiliary Comedy Night

By Paige Roth, Development Assistant at The Cedars 

The Cedars Auxiliary is always on the lookout for new members.  And what better way to bring people together than stand-up comedy? On March 29, The Cedars Auxiliary Comedy Night featured performances by comedians Johnny Ater, Kate Ghiloni and Karen Morgan, who kept the audience in stiches.   

Comedy Night Registration

While anticipating the start of the show, the crowd mingled over snacks provided by The Cedars dining services and libations donated by Shipyard Brewing Company and USA Wine West. The lights flickered and the audience took their seats.  

Auxiliary President Suzie Berzinis welcomed her guests, thanked Event Chair Marjorie Ferris and introduced the first act, Johnny Ater. In his thick Maine accent, Johnny’s self-depreciating humor put the crowd at ease. His teasing of a group of Italian audience members in the front row engaged the audience and ramped up the energy in the room. 

Johnny Ater, Comedian

Next up was young, confident Kate Ghiloni with her hip take on the pressures of being a single woman. Droll and sarcastic, Kate’s style was an excellent transition from roly-poly Johnny to sharp southern wit Karen Morgan. 

Kate Ghiloni, Comedian

The event headliner, Karen Morgan, is well known to Mainers for her performances at The Comedy Connection in Portland. Impressions of her chain-smoking mother in Georgia, her children’s bi-regional vernacular – a combination of her southern drawl and her husband’s east coast slang – were wacky yet relatable. 

At the end of the evening the crown filed out, elated, repeating jokes and rubbing their cheeks, sore from smiling. The Auxiliary made many new friends and signed up new members. They are energized for spring and ready to tackle their mission to support the residents of The Cedars in 2012. 

The Audience at Comedy Night

For more information on Auxiliary membership, click here or call the development office at 207-221-7007. 

Thanks to our wonderful
sponsors:

Shipyard Brewing Company

USA Wine West, LLC

 A special thanks to our
comedians:

Johnny Ater, Kate Ghiloni, Karen Morgan

And thanks to our
great volunteers:

Event Chair Marjorie Ferris, Suzie Berzinis, and Candy Henriksson