The sights and sounds of Passover preparation have been ever present at Cedar Village this week.  Our kitchens are scrubbed and ready, our Passover dishes and cooking utensils are in place and we are getting ready for a wonderful week.  We will have lots of activities and some wonderful Seder opportunities for residents and families.  On Monday we will hold our Community Seder at 4 p.m. in the Wilbur and Mary Jean Cohen Religious and Cultural Center.  We have a capacity crowd expected and it should be a great evening.  On Wednesday, at noon, we will hold Seders on our Health Care floors, one on the second floor and one on the third.  And Thursday at noon we will hold our last Seder on the Cherry Unit, our specialized dementia care unit.  Hope you will be with us for some of this holiday!  Our Deli will also be open (and Kosher for Passover) on Thursday, April 1, Friday, April 2,  and Sunday, April 4.
 
Other great sounds at Cedar Village this week came from our a musical "extravaganza" that was held on Thursday.  Under the direction of our wonderful music therapist, Jude Jones, the voices of the Sharonville Senior Center Choral Group, The Seasons Choir and the Cedar Village Choir came together and entertained a large crowd in the Cohen Center.  It was a great afternoon and fun for all!
 
The big news at Cedar Village, however, is that we are about to launch a brand new program. Effective April 1, 2010, the Louis and Dorothea Ginberg Comfort Care program will begin to offer hospice level care services to residents with the Health Care Center at Cedar Village.  Comfort Care will be staffed by a hospice nurse, dedicated aide(s), additional clergy and social work support to ensure that residents and families have both the palliative care (pain control) and end of life services that they need.  Comfort Care is Cedar Village's first step towards becoming fully Medicare certified for hospice care, a process that will take about a year to complete.  We have brought on a nurse, Becky Mastalerz, RN, who has extensive hospice experience and who is directing this program and Cedar Village's co-medical directors, Drs. Orlando Hernandez and Audrius Ruksenas are serving as the Comfort Care medical directors. 
 
Why is Cedar Village offering Comfort Care?  We believe that offering Comfort Care, and eventually a full hospice program, will give us the opportunity to improve the palliative care and end of life services available at Cedar Village and to offer residents and families a more seamless transition through a full continuum of care.  Comfort Care will be offered to any resident in the Health Care Center at their bedside and we will follow the same practice when we receive hospice certification.  Our goal is to minimize disruption and keep residents in familiar settings, with familiar staff.
 
Comfort Care, and the future hospice program, will only be offered in the Cedar Village Health Care Center.  We will not compete in the community with existing providers nor will we disrupt any existing relationships with residents and current hospice providers.  Comfort Care will grow gradually, building referrals and case load over the course of the next year.  Comfort Care also includes care of the family and bereavement services will be available both at the end of life and throughout the year following the death.
 
There is no charge to residents or families for Comfort Care.  Referrals may be made by physicians, staff or family members directly to our Social Work Department of to the Comfort Care nurse.  While our overall program will be operational April 1, one area that we continue to work on is volunteers.  Medicare's standards require that 5% of the overall hospice staffing be in volunteer hours.  We have lots of current volunteers who will help us satisfy that requirement but there is room for more.  If you have an interest in helping with any aspect of Comfort Care, from sitting with a resident or family to knitting lap blankets or arranging flowers, there is a role for you.  Please contact Marcia Westcott at 754-3100 or mwestcott@cedarvillage.org for more details.
 
Don't forget that 8 Over 80 will be here soon!  Sunday, May 2 at 6 p.m., we will honor eight very special individuals who have made, and continue to make, significant contributions to our Jewish community.  It's not too late to join us as we honor: Wilbur Cohen; Dave Jacobson; Bob Kanter; Florence Lieberman; Lou Nidich; Sue Ransohoff; Dick Weiland and Florence Zaret.  Call Sally Korkin at 754-3100 or skorkin@cedarvillage.org if you did not receive your invitation!
 
Last but not least, on April 21 at 7 p.m., we will hold a family meeting in the Wilbur and Mary Jean Cohen Religious and Cultural Center. This meeting is open to all, families, residents and community, and we will be talking more about Comfort Care and our plans for enhancing our rehab service.  Hope you can join us!
 
Have a happy and health Passover-