Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Atrium, Featured.
“A Spring Poem” by Mary Lou Martindell, member of The Atrium at The Cedars It’s the Creation story, the reincarnation of all of nature. The snow has cleansed and purified the earth, Trees shrug off their snowy limbs like heavy overcoats. Spring blossoms, almost anemic in their hunger for the sunlight, poke through the snow to the rhythm of their own internal clocks. Velvety pussy willows put out their silvery light visible a long way down the road. Hard wood trees sprout new leaves. Blades of wilted grass turn green. Small animals who’ve been hibernating all winter rise out of the ground and search for a mate. The Spring birds will soon be arriving to seek out their new homes. The silence of nature thick with the aroma of bark and humus, rotting pine needles and the perfume of fresh air. It is a new beginning, a rebirth of...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under News and Events.
Come join us for an afternoon of jazz with Maine pianist, performer and arranger, Tom Snow Monday February 25th, 2013 For more information or to reserve your seat, call...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Latest News.
Health and Wellness: Taking Care of Our Hearts February is Health Healthy Month and a great opportunity to take inventory of our heart wellness. As we age our hearts become less efficient and have to work harder to pump the blood. Here are several ways we can promote heart health taken from livestrong.com. If you have any questions about healthy living, stop in and see Sharon Leddy-Smart Lifestyle Coordinator at The Atrium at The Cedars. Exercise: Exercise is related to your cardiovascular health, and as an older person it’s important for you to be active. Exercise 30 minutes daily, even breaking it into three 10-minute sessions. Even moderate exercise, such as brisk walking 30 minutes daily, provides many benefits to your heart health. Exercise can improve circulation, help you lose weight, aid in smoking cessation, improve blood cholesterol levels, help manage stress, reduce coronary heart disease in women by...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Latest News.
With the flu season in full swing, The Cedars residents and staff are well equipped with their vaccinations and the enforcement of a community-wide regime of excellent hygiene through frequent hand washing and good respiratory etiquette. Until the season behind us, The Cedars asks that visitors and staff who are showing any signs of cough, fever or congestion to stay home for 24 to 48 hours after their symptoms have resolved. To stay ahead of the flu season curve, The Cedars Director of Nursing, Susan Dionne-Jones has been in frequent contact with the Maine Center for Disease Control as well as local hospitals for updates. To protect yourself and others, we recommend: Washing your hands often with warm, soapy water Keeping your hands away from your face When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue or your upper sleeve or elbow Do your best to stay...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Latest News.
The Cedars Retirement Community incorporates wellness into all that we do – for our staff, members and residents. One of our newest outpatient programs, Living Well With Dementia offered from our Sam L. Cohen Rehabilitation Center, is gaining increased recognition. This past weekend, the Maine Occupational Therapy Association (MeOTA), honored our Angie Hunt with their OT Advocate Award, specifically for the work she has done to create Living Well With Dementia. Angie is the Executive Director of the Assisted Living, Rehabilitation Center and Skilled Care at The Cedars. Here is the letter that was submitted by Lisa Clark, Program Coordinator of Living Well With Dementia, to MeOTA: Angie (Hunt) is a physical therapist who is the Executive Director of The Cedars in Portland, Maine. The Cedars is a retirement community that offers a continuum of senior living options for elders: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Care. The Cedars’ philosophy revolves around...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
Since November is COPD Awareness Month, the nurses and therapists at The Cedars would like to share some easy tips on ways we can make life easier for someone suffering from this disease. COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is an incurable disease that affects the lungs and other parts of our body. The main cause of COPD is cigarette smoke, as well as work-related exposure to inhaled substances. People suffering from COPD have difficulty breathing, primarily due to the fact that their lungs have lost elasticity, which makes inhaling and exhaling very difficult. In addition, increased mucus in the lungs and the body’s decreased ability to transfer oxygen into our blood combine to make it the third leading cause of death in our country. If you know someone with COPD, here are some suggestions for ways to ease their burden, directly from Deborah Leader, RN at About.com Guide: Help...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
How will you spend time during your retirement? Will you delve into a lifelong interest or pursue a new one? At The Atrium at The Cedars retirement community, the members are mixing the old with the new. First-time endeavors include senior college courses, Tai Chi or yoga classes. For many at The Cedars, a lifelong interest is painting: portraits, landscapes, still life … anything. These members who make up our very own ‘artist’s colony’ just love to paint. At this week’s Fall Member Art Show, the proof was on the walls. The members living at The Atrium kindly shared their works, and the visitors, staff, and residents were amazed at the talent and perspectives of the residents at The Atrium. As passionate as they are, they were equally distinct. One member’s paintings evoke scenes from children’s literature, while another perfectly depicts Maine winters. The display provided insight into our...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
By Beth Sheppard, Director of Development, The Cedars retirement community “There are eight million stories in the naked city; this has been one of them.” While we don’t serve eight million people here at The Cedars (there are 63 skilled care beds and about 800 rehabilitation admissions yearly at the Hoffman Center), every single person we serve has a story. Very often, these involve families and friends. We thought we’d share two recent letters to Cedars CEO Kathy Callnan, containing some of those stories. “We would like to thank all of the staff The Cedars. We did not expect to find a real home for Mom, but that’s what you have become to her. What sets your facility above and apart fro the rest is your people: In everything they do, the message is one of sincere and genuine concern, caring attention and dedication to the feelings and well-being of...
Posted in our blog on by Angie& filed under Latest News.
Caring for Aging Parents: Five Ways to Improve Your Bones Although health bones and joints are important to people of all ages, they are a key focus in senior citizen health, and Osteoporosis a major concern for all seniors . Osteoporosis is the most prevalent bone condition among Americans with nearly half of all women and one-quarter of men likely to suffer from its’ effects. Each year, approximately one and a half million Americans suffer a bone fracture related to osteoporosis. Fifty years ago, physicians believed that weak bones were a natural part of aging, but today we know that we can do something about it. Prevention of the condition and patient education are key to reducing the problems associated with osteoporosis. By following these guidelines, you can help prevent bone disease and injury: Exercise. Weight-bearing exercise is best, and walking, even short distances, is a great way to...
“A Spring Poem” by Mary Lou Martindell, member of The Atrium at The Cedars It’s the Creation story, the reincarnation of all of nature. The snow has cleansed and purified the earth, Trees shrug off their snowy limbs like heavy overcoats. Spring blossoms, almost anemic in their hunger for the sunlight, poke through the snow to the rhythm of their own internal clocks. Velvety pussy willows put out their silvery light visible a long way down the road. Hard wood trees sprout new leaves. Blades of wilted grass turn green. Small animals who’ve been hibernating all winter rise out of the ground and search for a mate. The Spring birds will soon be arriving to seek out their new homes. The silence of nature thick with the aroma of bark and humus, rotting pine needles and the perfume of fresh air. It is a new beginning, a rebirth of...