Posts Categorized: Featured

Getting a Good Night Sleep

Help with Aging Parents: Three Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep By Diane Vigue, RN, Resident Wellness Manager, The Osher Inn Public health professionals know that a good night’s sleep an essential aspect of health promotion and chronic disease prevention, especially for the elderly. Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression, all of which threaten our health. Notably, insufficient sleep is associated with the onset of these diseases and also poses important implications for their management and outcome. It is  also responsible for motor vehicle and machinery-related accidents, causing substantial injury and disability each year.  More than one-quarter of the U.S. population report occasionally not getting enough sleep, while almost 40% of the elderly experience sleep problems, and nearly 10% suffer from chronic insomnia. Some of these insomnias may be due to the body not...

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Help with Aging Parents: Healthy and Easy Labor Day Recipe

By Beth Sheppard, Director of Development at The Cedars Meals at The Cedars are always a treat, but a recent dinner served to our board and members was especially good – and healthful. It included grilled swordfish, a variety of salads and grilled vegetables, and terrific turkey skewers done on the grill. I’d never heard of grilling turkey! When I asked our director of dining services, David Kessler, about it, he told me that turkey is low in fat, full of protein (both great for aging bodies!), and easy to grill. The trick is to use turkey tenders, which you can find in the grocery store, and to marinate them before grilling. Dave skewered bite-sized pieces of marinated turkey tender with chunks of red pepper, button mushrooms and pearl onions on wooden skewers (hint: soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes before you put the meat and veggies...

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Best Retirement Community: Celebrating Healthy Aging at The Cedars

According to Carol Worthington, editor of Healthy Aging Magazine and director Health Aging, it’s never too late to “re-invent” yourself.  September is Healthy Aging Month, an annual health observance designed to focus national attention on the positive aspects of growing older, and we take healthy aging very seriously here at The Cedars! Worthington explains, “We need to draw attention to the myths of aging, to shout out “Hey, its’ not too late to take control of your health, it’s never too late to get started on something new.’ To get started, here are some ideas from Health Aging Magazine to help you think outside of the box: Back to School – through Osher Lifelong Learning (we provide the transportation!) or attend more lectures at The Atrium Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow – older adults getting regular physical exercise are 60% less likely to get dementia as it increases oxygen to...

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Best Retirement Community: Summer Wellness Fair at The Cedars

The Cedars is dedicated to incorporating wellness throughout our community – for our members, residents and staff.  The opportunities to embrace wellness could not have been greater than at our annual Wellness Fair at The Cedars.  Vendors from over 20 stations and organizations were there to share their knowledge and services with our community – and everyone indulged in healthy snacks, yoga classes, massage therapy and paraffin dips.  Giveaways included a Kindle Fire, and various gift baskets to Dick Sporting Goods, The Cedars Spa and Healthy Eating and Cooking. The Cedars thanks the participating vendors who partnered to make this a great event: Acadia Insurance Harvard Pilgrim – information and cholesterol screening Guardian Dental American Heart Association Cancer Community Center 2-1-1 Maine US Foods Community Counseling Center Hannaford Scarborough Family Chiropractic Walgreen’s Blood Pressure Screening Hula Hooping Portland Maine...

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Best Retirement Community: Social Networking, Skype and Seniors

The Cedars has been enjoying the internet more than ever this summer, thanks to the help of volunteer Michael Michaelson. An upcoming freshman in high school at Wayneflete in Portland, Michael has been visiting members in our retirement community every Thursday morning since June.   During his time here, he busily runs from one apartment to the next assisting members and leaving them quite pleased. For instance, he connected one member to skype so she could talk with her daughters who both live in Italy. Another member proudly announced that, because of Michael’s tutelage, she not only knew when her mouse needed new batteries, but she was able to change them herself. Other members are accessing e-mail and FaceBook for the first time – and love it! Michael explains that his work with seniors is quite rewarding.  When he saw the “huge” need for seniors to connect on the internet,...

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Health and Wellness: Helping Seniors Live Well With Dementia

 A diagnosis of dementia — from Alzheimer’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, or mild to moderate Multi-Infarct Dementia used to be mean “the end” of meaningful life for afflicted seniors. A new program offered at The Cedars proves, however, that life not only goes on — it can be rich in meaning, independence and dignity. The Cedars’ new community-based outpatient program, “Living Well With Dementia,” designed for seniors with a diagnosis of mild to moderate dementia, was the focus of the 2012 Annual Membership meeting on August 1. The program combines meaningful activities with specialized fitness, rehabilitation and therapeutic services to help these seniors thrive. Support for caregivers is also provided. The program involves: Assessment – A thorough, caring and professional evaluation of your loved one’s motor and processing skills, balance, medication management, communication skills, stress levels and support systems. Intervention – The very best occupational, physical, and speech and language...

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Health and Wellness: The Truth About Cataracts

Help With Aging Parents: The Truth About Cataracts By Diane Vigue, RN, Resident Wellness Manager at The Osher Inn, assisted living at The Cedars Did you know that 20.5 million older Americans have cataracts, one of the most curable causes of vision loss? A cataract is clouding of the eye’s normally clear lens, blocking the passage of light needed for vision. Cataracts form slowly and cause no pain. Some stay small and hardly affect vision, but if one does grow and begin to affect your vision, it can usually be removed with surgery. According to The American Academy of Opthamology, new techniques developed over the past decade have made cataract surgery one of the safest and most successful procedures available in terms of restoring quality of life to patients. Each year there are more than 1.6 million of these delicate eye surgeries performed in the United States. There are no...

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The Cedars Retirement Community: Holistic Wellness through Water Aerobics

The Cedars commitment to wellness can be seen throughout the community, from tai chi instruction for members to yoga classes for staff.  A particular program that is gaining increased popularity is our water aerobics or “Aquazcize” as we refer to it. Sharon Leddy-Smart, Director of Lifestyles at The Atrium independent living, is also a personal trainer, triathlete, and mother of five – and touts the benefits of water aerobics for the senior population.  The Atrium’s pool is considered therapeutic as it is heated to over 87 degrees Fahrenheit.  Sharon’s classes focus on coordination, mobility, balance, range ofmotion and core stability.  “It’s great for people dealing with arthritis because it’s no-impact, and the heat helps warm the joints to allow for greater range of motion.”  Member Florence Strauss explains that “it is the only time I can walk pain-free, when I’m exercising in the pool.” Sharon states that the water is...

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Best Retirement Community: Visits at Skilled Care, Part III

Help with Aging Parents: Four More Ways to Make the Most of Visits – Part III By Melanie Desjardins, Manager of Care Coordination at The Cedars The third part of our series on making the most of a visit with a loved on at The Cedars, senior living community. For more help, contact our Care Coordination department. 1.   Have grandchildren bring or send along artwork, papers  or projects from camp or school.  The delight that many residents get from seeing the works of children is wonderful – and the children benefit as well, receiving input and kudos from older adults. 2.  Plant and take care of an indoor/outdoor garden cart. Our outside patio is beautiful this time of year. Talk to the Life Enrichment staff for this activity.  In addition, taking a leisurely stroll through our community pathways provide a great opportunity to enjoy the flora. 3.  Do crossword or jigsaw...

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Retirement Communities: Caregivers of People With Dementia

Living Well with Dementia: Caregivers of People with Dementia-Part I by Lisa Clark OTR, Program Coordinator of Living Well with Dementia In a recent issue of “OT Practice” from the American Occupational Therapy Association, an article is featured about the needs of caregivers for people with dementia.  Occupational therapists are uniquely skilled at considering needs of caregivers because of their orientation toward staying healthy through activity.  Activity for health is important for the person with dementia as well as the caregiver. The Living Well with Dementia Program offers evaluation, recommendations and individual or group treatment for people with memory issues.  Caregivers are an important support for people dealing with memory loss.  In addition, there are some helpful hints for caregivers, making their work with their loved ones a little easier.  Sometimes these seem to be the opposite of what one might think is the best care technique.  Decreasing stress...

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