Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
With National Assisted Living Week upon us, The Osher Inn at The Cedars is embracing this year’s theme, “Art for the Ages.” The many special events we’ve scheduled for the week help us to say thank you to our residents, many of whom have made significant contributions to society as business people, civic leaders, firefighters, teachers, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. Today The Osher Inn held its Resident Art Show which showcased our community members’ paintings, needlework, pottery, sculptures … and much more. As the week continues we have concerts, art shows, instructional workshops and a concert that promises to get our residents dancing! For more information about The Osher Inn and personalized assisted living, please call us at...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
The Cedars Retirement Community: CNBC.com Niche Retirement Community Just about every retirement community features activities and programs that emphasize wellness. The Cedars in Portland, Maine, is no exception. It emphasizes holistic wellness, which many baby boomers have pursued for decades. The community’s yoga program is taught by Jessica McKneally, who believes that yoga can help alleviate many of the health issues that older adults face. “Many of the chronic ailments associated with the aging process are the result of stress, imbalance and disconnection,”she says on the community’s website. “Relieving stress, cultivating balance in our lives and reconnecting to our self and others can go a long way towards establishing a healthier, happier, more sustainable...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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...
Posted in our blog on by Katharine& filed under Featured.
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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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...
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...
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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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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...
