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Cedar Community: Life the way it should be. The way you want it.

Medical studies tell us ‘brain exercise’ can be a key component to overall senior health. Knowing this, our goal for this year’s Enthusiasts’ Club campaign is to purchase brain exercise ‘equipment’ for our residents.

“It’s Never 2 Late” (IN2L) is a customized computer for health and rehabilitation center residents that engages them, empowers them and encourages lifelong learning. Residents benefit by staying cognitively stimulated and socially connected to family, friends and the community. The programs help residents document life stories and relieve feelings of hopelessness, loneliness and boredom. The IN2L systems are portable and include flat- panel touch-screen monitors with extendable arms, wheelchair-adjustable work stations and peripherals for a variety of activities and therapies. The systems’ games and programs provide excellent therapy, engagement and educational experiences, and they work well for individuals, small and large groups of all physical and cognitive abilities. Residents can also use personal email and enjoy video conversations with family and friends via a web camera.

Through a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, THE GREEN HOUSE® Project has researched IN2L technology’s impact on the quality of life at the four Green House sites. After three months of use, their residents have significantly more energy, were more socially engaged and less depressed, and experienced greater quality of life.

At Cedar Community we’re concerned with the total well-being of our residents – body, mind and spirit. We hope you will consider supporting this project to help our residents continually learn and enjoy.

What is one of your biggest fears for the future? Perhaps it is being alone. Perhaps it is becoming forgetful or being dependent on others for your personal care. Maybe you’re afraid of suffering or dying. Perhaps it is having to move into a nursing home, or living longer than your income and investments can support.

Cedar Lake Health and Rehabilitation Center residents share many of these same fears. Very few of us hope for an illness that will require the help of others. Very few of us like the idea of moving out of our own home that’s filled with memories. Very few of us would vote to spend down our life savings to poverty level. Our heads can tell us we have no control over so many factors, and yet our heart and our feelings tell us the complete opposite. The same holds true for our current and our future residents.

Partners In Caring helps and will continue to help! Our 31st Partners In Caring campaign kicks off this month and continues throughout 2010. Interest earned from Cedar Community Foundation’s Partners In Caring campaigns help provide $590,000 annually to Cedar Community. This money is used to help provide an extraordinary level of quality care and a meaningful quality of life our residents deserve, regardless of their personal situation.

Please join us in reassuring our residents help is here, now and in the future. DONATE NOW or email us to find out more. Remember you may pledge your gift for the year and pay in small segments. All gifts are appreciated and remember, we so value YOU!