Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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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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...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
Recently a member of The Atrium at The Cedars retirement community had looked into donating some expensive medications that she had paid for herself but no longer needed, and that had not yet expired. She had asked her physicians – who did not have any suggestions. After contacting Elizabeth McLellan at Partners for World Health, she immediately accepted Gloria’s generous offer and brought them to the warehouse one afternoon in May. Here is a photo of Gloria with Elizabeth, after touring the huge warehouse full of medical equipment and supplies. That day, United Way was there volunteering their time to help sort and pack the supplies. Did you know that in the United States, we throw away billions of dollars of perfectly good medical supplies every year? Elizabeth McClellan, founder of Partners for World Health in Scarborough, Maine, faced this reality as a nurse in Portland’s largest hospital every time she...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
by Beth Sheppard, Development Director at The Cedars Some people’s wills were written decades ago. Without regular review and updating, such wills can create confusion and needless expense for surviving family members. The following life events usually require a modification of your will: Marriage or remarriage Birth or adoption of a child or grandchild Divorce A child or grandchild reaching legal adulthood Death of a spouse Increase in the value of your assets or acquisitionof new assets by gift or inheritance, or purchase of real estate Giving away or selling assets mentioned in your will The death of a beneficiary named in your will A move – especially to a different state Your executor or trustee dies, moves, or becomes disabled You should take time at least once a year to review your will to ensure that it is up to date with your current needs and circumstances. Set...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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. Inaddition, 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...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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 helpyou: 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,...
