Best Retirement Community: Spring Art Show at The Atrium at The Cedars

Posted by Katharine

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 creating until after retirement; some stumbled into their passions earlier in adult live, and still others attended art school in their late teens. 

Regardless of the origins of their enthusiasm, our members continue to create and inspire all of us and make it clear that retirement is the time to explore and reach: the best is truly yet to come! 

For more information about retirement at The Cedars, contact Kelly Prucnal at 207-221-7100 or kprucnal@thecedarsportland.org

Best Retirement Community: Wellness for Seniors

Posted by Katharine

The Cedars is introducing a state-of-the-art strength training program for our retirement community residents living in independent living and assisted living.  Sharon Leddy-smart, Lifestyle Coordinator at The Atrium and Angie Hunt, Director of the Hoffman Center recently presented this exciting new program to the members at The Atrium, The Cedars independent living community. 

Angie and Sharon pointed out that aging is a natural process, and we all age differently.  Several studies show that exercise not only improves quality of life, but also helps people live longer lives.  The ten bio-markers of age, which are reversible include:

  • Muscle Mass – Decreases
  • Strength – Decreases
  • Basal Metabolic Rate – Decreases
  • Body Fat – Increases
  • Aerobic Capacity – Decreases
  • Blood Pressure – Increases
  • Blood Sugar Tolerance – Decreases
  • Cholesterol/HDL Ration – Decreases
  • Bone Density – Decreases
  • Body Temperature Regulation – Decreases

The Cedars new program is an innovative wellness program focused on strengthening – aimed at reversing these bio-markers.  Sharon and Angie explained that the advantages of resistance training include improved strength by 40-150%, an increase in lean body mass and increased muscle fiber. 
In addition, the benefits of exercise include decreased potential for falls, improved functional mobility, prevention and better management of chronic disease, help in preventing depression, anxiety and dementia, and a lesser likelihood of experiencing illness with an increased ability to recover more quickly.

The program begins with an extensive assessment of the residents’ current fitness level, and then proceeds into a twelve week course of classes held three times per week, followed by a re-assessment and continued exercise.

For more information, please contact us at 207-221-7100.

 

The Cedars Radio Interview

Posted by Katharine

Marketing Representative at The Cedars, Kelly Prucnal is being interviewed about senior living options and retirement planning 

Saturday May 26th at 1PM

Home With Tom Landry on WLOB 1310 AM

Be sure to tune in!

A Day in the Life at The Atrium

Posted by Katharine

Please join us for a sampling of a day’s activities

at The Atrium, Independent Living at The Cedars

Tuesday May 22, 2012 at 11AM

RSVP to 207-221-7100

Retirement Living Community: Health and Wellness

Posted by Katharine

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.

 

Best Senior Living Community: Celebrating Volunteers at The Cedars

Posted by Katharine

2012 Volunteer of the Year

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.

Retirement Living in Portland Maine: Senior Health and Wellness

Posted by Katharine

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 help
you:

  • 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, Lifestyle Coordinator at The Atrium, independent living at The Cedars.  207-221-7100

Best Retirement Community: Dining at The Atrium at The Cedars

Posted by Katharine

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.

Best Retirement Community: Living Well With Dementia

Posted by Katharine

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.