Mindful Connections: An Innovative, Community-Based, Therapeutic Program at The Cedars

Posted by Tracy

Mindful ConnectionsFor seniors in the early stages of memory loss still living at home, Mindful Connections provides powerful, personalized therapy to preserve independence, cognitive function, and hope.

BY THE AGE OF 60, between 5 and 7 percent of people will suffer from some form of memory loss. By the age of 85, 50 percent will show symptoms of cognitive impairment, usually diagnosed as Alzheimer’s Disease. Whether it affects us or someone we love, dementia will touch all our lives—but The Cedars believes it should not define our lives.

It’s a bold view, and it is true: people with memory loss have the ability to lead rich lives and make valuable contributions to their community.

Our newest community-based program, Mindful Connections, proves this every day. Using forward-thinking therapies rooted in research and best practices and customized for each patient’s unique life experiences and personal preferences, we support seniors with memory loss as they learn to live in the moment with strength, purpose, and joy.

“Because dementia can accelerate physical and mental decline, The Cedars holistic approach to treatment spans the six dimensions of wellness: physical, intellectual, occupational, social, spiritual, and emotional. Designed for seniors in the early stages of memory loss still living independently, Mindful Connections provides resources and respite for caregivers while enhancing health and offering hope to clients.

A PHILOSOPHY OF POSITIVITY

 Mindful Connections, as well as our upcoming Memory Care Assisted Living, are both built on a powerful philosophy—the Positive Approach to Care (PAC), developed by internationally recognized occupational therapist, Teepa Snow.

PAC prioritizes smart, compassionate responses to the realities of memory loss. Staff learn personalized strategies to form trusting relationships with clients—ways of responding to difficult situations that are supportive and successful. PAC recognizes that a person with dementia is doing the best that they can and if something isn’t working, the caregiver must change their approach. PAC also teaches heightened environmental awareness, encourages flexible and creative thinking, and supports authentic personal connections between clients and providers.

 MINDFUL OF POTENTIAL

Each client receives a thorough evaluation from an experienced, PAC-certified Occupational Therapist. Assessments include in-depth interviews with family members and caregivers, standard evaluation tools, and skilled personal observations to determine the level of assistance each client will need to live productively in their community.

Some seniors in the program may benefit from a course of specialized rehabilitation therapy to address underlying issues such as balance or strength, speech and cognition, and the activities of daily living. The coping strategies learned in these sessions can do so much toward helping seniors with dementia and their caregivers feel safe in their chosen living situation.

CONNECTIONS WITH COMMUNITY

The heart of the Mindful Connections community-based program is the Wellness Group, a gathering of a small group of seniors and their PAC-certified practitioner, with expertise in therapeutic recreation. While every member of the group has a customized treatment plan, seniors join together to share a specialized exercise program in the rehabilitation gym, engaging activities to preserve cognition and spark purpose and pleasure, and social interactions—meals, discussions, and more—that forge real friendships.

“The Wellness Group is wonderful,” says one member of Mindful Connections. “A diagnosis of memory loss can be so isolating. My friends in the Wellness Group understand exactly how I feel and we are working through this challenge together.”

To learn how The Cedars can help you or someone you love make Mindful Connections during memory loss, contact the Program Coordinator at 207-221-7163 or email mindfulconnections@thecedarsportland.org.

The Cedars Celebrates Groundbreaking for the Sam L. Cohen Households

Posted by Tracy

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 staff laid the groundwork to implement a new way of supporting seniors in their later years: the Household Model of care.

“Seniors of today and tomorrow don’t want the model of care experienced by their parents and grandparents,” Kathryn Callnan, President and CEO of The Cedars, told guests. “They want rich experiences. Choices. A home environment. The Cedars has always understood that seniors want privacy, autonomy, and the ability to make daily decisions about how they wish to live their lives even though they are no longer able to live independently at home.”

The Cedars staff has spent the last two years training for and implementing the Household Model of care. Thanks in part to the generosity of the Sam L. Cohen Foundation, they will soon have a space designed to support it.

COMING HOME

The Cedars has always practiced person-centered care, and for the past 24 months has provided specialized training to dramatically shift the way staff gives care towards a person-directed model. However, completely implementing the Household Model requires building a radically different kind of space – one with distinct hallmarks of home. Private rooms and bathrooms. Welcoming common areas, like a kitchen that is always open and stocked with favorite foods. A front door, with a doorbell, that chimes a clear signal: this a private home for people living rich and meaningful lives.

The Sam L. Cohen Foundation’s contribution has helped to fund the construction of this cutting-edge residence to honor the late Sam Cohen’s many connections to The Cedars, his lifelong legacy of philanthropy, and most of all, his legendary love of gathering with family and friends.

BOLD SOLUTIONS FOR BIG CHALLENGES

The Groundbreaking Ceremony featured national and local political figures as well, as the Households have significance for seniors far beyond Maine’s shores. As the nation’s population rapidly ages, the demand for skilled healthcare workers and personalized senior living continues to grow. At this critical point, The Cedars has taken the lead—proposing bold initiatives for workforce development and training, partnerships for research and learning, and new living options for our later years.

After all, Maine has the oldest population in the nation. The “silver tsunami” will hit this state particularly hard and our elected representatives are keenly aware that now is the time to act.

The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Senator Susan Collins continues to be one of the country’s most reliable advocates for seniors. As chair of the Senate Special Committee on Aging and co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, she has worked to increase funding for Alzheimer’s research and to strengthen support for family caregivers. Senator Collins has met over the past few years with John Watson, Chief Financial Officer at The Cedars, to discuss specific long-term care legislation and most recently review Medicaid funding considerations critical to Maine’s poor elderly in advance of the historic health care vote. Senator Collins spoke passionately of the potential for this model of care to transform how we age in Maine—and beyond.

 

“For nearly 90 years, The Cedars has helped Maine seniors live their lives to the fullest… working together, in Washington, D.C. and in communities across the nation, we are building a shared vision for aging that is centered on health, wellness and community.” – SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS

A NEW LEVEL OF CARE

 In addition to the two skilled care Households, The Sam L. Cohen Households will provide the newest level of person-centered care at The Cedars—Memory Care Assisted Living.

The Cedars knows that people with memory loss can engage in meaningful activities, make decisions about how they want to spend their days, and participate in their own health and wellness. At The Cedars, they will.

Each resident will receive a thoughtful evaluation and strengths-based assessment from dedicated staff trained in the Teepa Snow Model of Postive Care. Caregivers will provide positive, powerful therapies designed to respond to changing abilities and personalized to each resident’s Life Story.

Innovative programs will be offered on a daily basis to promote choice, preserve dignity, and respect individuality—always putting the person first. In addition to a full calendar of group activities, staff will provide spontaneous activities—day and night—to meet in-the-moment needs for social engagement, self-expression and mindful connections.

“Our new Memory Care Assisted Living Household for seniors with more advanced memory loss will help preserve cognitive function and, most importantly, independence,” Kathryn Callnan assured guests. “We can make a promise to our community: when you come to live at The Cedars, you have come home.”

To learn how you can support bold new initiatives for seniors, call the Development Office at 207-221-7007 or email development@thecedarsportland.org.

 

 

The Cedars is Recognized for Arts Programming

Posted by Katharine

Nick Viti (OMA Facilitator Class of 2015) has launched a highly successful OMA program at The Cedars in Portland, Maine. The facility has already begun their third OMA session. They partner with the University of Southern Maine and the University of New England, where students receive college credit to participate in the OMA program.

The site had their first art show in June as a part of Portland’s First Friday Art Walk, a monthly community event. They also plan to exhibit at partnering universities. OMA Artists have an exhibit at USM in Lewiston, ME right now! Check out their video featuring an OMA session and the art show.

“One of our elders said to her partner, ‘I’m not an artist,’ at the start of every session until the very last project when she finally said, ‘I am an artist!”

Nick took the time to answer a few questions about what his experience has been like.

What have you learned as an OMA Facilitator? What advice would you give?
“I was anxious when we were putting OMA together at The Cedars.  I learned that you may never really feel ready to start your first session, but you have to just jump into the experience and trust in the process. My co-facilitator, Pamela Moulton, who is a mixed medium artist, was extremely helpful in securing right supplies from the start, as well as overseeing the selection of colors we present to our artists.

Also, it’s important to pay attention to placement of residents in the room. Some residents may be overwhelmed by a lot of people around them so they may do better with the room at their back, while others may feel uncomfortable without being able to see the whole room.  They may need to see what others are doing to understand the experience.

Find good partners for your volunteers!  College programs in the area have been a tremendous resource for us and we have collaborated with them to create a 3-credit undergraduate course about geriatrics and long term care.  The students get a lecture from one of our departments for an hour before starting the OMA project of the day to teach them about all the different disciplines that support our residents and how they work together in order to provide quality person-centered care.  There has been a very positive response to this opportunity that is very unique compared to other experiences offered at the undergraduate level.  In addition, I try to get to know the students through the two day dementia/OMA trainings to make good pairings with residents, especially those who may need to be especially patient or be process vs. product focused in order to enable the best chance for the residents’ success.

“Don’t neglect your artwork. Color is emotion, you got to let it out.” – OMA Artist

Have there been any challenges that you’ve overcome while facilitating OMA?
“Finding the right residents who are going to be open to joining OMA and willing to participate consistently can be a challenge.  Sometimes you just don’t know.  I usually select the toughest potential artists first and try to involve them in the OMA process for a couple weeks.  After the first class there are some substitutions that take place because some residents don’t like trying something new around other people, or the time of day isn’t good for them, etc.  I always have a list of alternates that I think are a surer bet so I don’t subject the students to constantly changing partners and the final pair can begin the process of bonding over the course of remaining weeks.

Also, transportation of elder artists to OMA continues to be a challenge for us.  We have made improvements in the timeliness of getting artists from the second floor to our first floor art space, including advanced notice of who the OMA artists are to neighborhood staff, prioritizing which artists benefit from coming first, recruiting additional staff to assist with transportation, and checking in with elders in the morning prior to OMA sessions.  However, you never know what situations you are going to find when you are ready to bring the artists down so substitutions happen often.  Fortunately, OMA is popular with past participants and our students have been very flexible so we always have a full house!”

For more information on the innovative programs at The Cedars, contact Nick Viti, OTR/L, Life Enrichment Director at 207-221-7000.

 

 

Food Drive at The Atrium

Posted by Katharine

The residents at The Atrium are having a Thanksgiving Food Drive for families in need from the Ocean Avenue Elementary School in Portland. Staff, residents, families and friends are encouraged to donate non-perishables, such as: stuffing, canned veggies, cranberry sauce, mashed potato mix, quick bread mix, gravy mix. Bring your items to The Atrium by Wednesday November 14.

Tips for Staying Healthy During Flu Season

Posted by Katharine

“Ask The Nurse is a program at The Atrium, independent living at The Cedars that gives our residents the chance to touch base with Nancy Kuliga, RN and ask health questions, get their blood pressure checked, or help them decide if they need to contact their physician. In addition to this twice-weekly clinic, Nancy also oversees the Home Health Services at The Cedars that provides support for our residents. Nancy enjoys getting to know so many of the residents and always looks forward to this part of her week.  Here is her advice on how to stay healthy this flu season:

1. Get the flu vaccine! The best time to get the vaccine is from October through November but it is still useful to get one even if it’s later in the flu season.
2. Wash or sanitize hands thoroughly and often. Frequently washing hands with regular soap is an effective way to get rid of cold and flu germs.
3. Exercise regularly. Moderate exercise boosts the immune system and could reduce risk of cold by a third.
4. Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth.
5. Clean the environment to eliminate germs.
6. Sanitize your mobile devices.
7. Stay away from people who are sick.
8. Avoid crowds and unnecessary travel.
9. Drink plenty of liquids! Drinking plenty of liquids, especially plain water or hot tea, helps the nasal passages stay moist and trap germs.
10. Get added Vitamin C and protein through nutritious foods! Some studies have shown that a little extra Vitamin C (but not too much) can reduce the risk of getting sick.

 

November Learning Wednesday

Posted by Katharine

Join us for a session on COPD Awareness
Wednesday November 14 at 2PM at the Hoffman Center
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease effects 16 million Americans
This workshop will answer questions on how to cope with COPD, provide diet tips and treatment options.

Event at The Atrium Independent Living

Posted by Katharine

Treasures and Antiques with Daniel Buck Soules
Auctioneer and appraiser, Daniel Buck has valued items for the Smithsonian and made numerous appearances on Antiques Roadshow.
Tuesday October 16 at The Atrium.
FMI and to RSVP call 207-221-7100

Groundbreaking for the Sam L. Cohen Households

Posted by Katharine

On Friday September 21, Senator Susan Collins shared remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony and climbed aboard an excavator to deliver the first dig for the Sam L. Cohen Households at The Cedars.

A Bold Change to Transform Senior Care

The Cedars is building the Sam L. Cohen Households for skilled nursing care and introducing a new, vitally needed memory care assisted living, as well as renovating our current neighborhoods in households.

The Household Model of Senior Living

The visionary and person-centered Household Model is earning praise across the country and fast becoming the best practice as an enlightened approach to senior care. The Household Model features a home environment where residents have choices, including when to wake up, what to eat, and how to spend each day, just like we do at home. It’s a model we believe will not only meet and exceed the expectations of our senior population but will also be a shining example to our entire industry and will shape the way forward for the improvement of senior healthcare across the nation.

Senator Collins as Advocate for Aging

As a long-standing advocate for seniors and healthcare, Senator Collins is the chair of the Senate Special Committee on Aging and co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease where she has worked to increase funding for Alzheimer’s research and to strengthen support for family caregivers. In fact, the Senator shared that her BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act is making headway in Congress and will help establish centers of excellence in public health practices in Alzheimer’s Disease.

No stranger to The Cedars, Senator Collins has met over the past few years with John Watson, Chief Financial Officer at The Cedars, to discuss specific long-term care legislation, and most recently to review Medicaid funding considerations critical to Maine’s poor elderly in advance of the historic health care vote.

For more information on how The Cedars is transforming senior care, go to www.growboldcedars.org.