A Message from Kathryn Callnan, Pres. & CEO: Transforming Aging Takes All of Us

September 2023

THE CEDARS CONTINUES to take an innovative leadership role in older adult living and healthcare in Portland and throughout Maine. Our commitment to the people we serve, our amazing staff, and the community leaders who help guide us never wavers. We are extraordinarily proud of how our community has responded to the international health crisis, COVID-19, we have all faced.

We have great optimism about the future and would like to reflect on The Cedars recent accomplishments. Since the Grand Opening of the Sam L. Cohen Households in March 2021, the transformation to person-centered care has been incredibly successful. In the Households, residents live life their way in a place they call home.

This experience has led the leadership to commit to creating more Households in the future. The Cedars has advanced from its well-earned reputation as a top performing care community to a nationally recognized research institution informing and leading the field nationwide with person-centered care, best practices, and innovative translational care advances.

Over the last few years, the University of Maine Center on Aging and The Cedars collaborated on a project funded by The Mayer-Rothschild Foundation for the creation of a designation of excellence in person-centered care. Additionally, The Cedars implemented a research project with The University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine, to study Optimal Engagement for People Living with Dementia. Both research projects will have national influence and help change the face of quality care provided for older adults across the nation.

As the effects of the pandemic wane, we have redoubled our commitment to re-engaging and connecting with community partners to support innovative, person-centered programs for older adults. We continue to surpass the traditional standards, providing intergenerational, inclusive programs in cooperation with colleges and universities, the Portland Museum of Art, the Maine Jewish Museum, and many other organizations throughout the Greater Portland area and across the United States.

Thanks to our donors, The Cedars continues to lead the way forward, being a premier provider of living options, healthcare, and advocacy for older adults. With many exciting and innovative projects underway and in the planning stages, The Cedars continues to push the boundaries when it comes to providing the best-in-class services it has been known for in Portland and Maine for nearly a century.

Kathryn Callnan, President and CEO
Richard Borts, Chair, Board of Directors