Greetings!   

Fall is in the air and with it our holiday preparations  are in full swing!  We set the stage with a number of programs for residents, talking about the holidays and their meaning as well as sharing memories and stories.  Often we use food to trigger some of these recollections and we will do it again this year.  We'll have apples and honey as part of an activity program and we'll talk about what holidays were like for our folks when they were young; the kinds of things they did to celebrate the holidays throughout their lives; special foods or traditions they had; other things that they would like to share.  We learn amazing things in these programs and hear stories that touch us deeply and that we treasure.

We began this week, as did so many others, with reflection and memorials in honor of the ten year anniversary of 9/11.  We gathered for a brief service in the Wilbur and Mary Jean Cohen Religious and Cultural Center, led by both Rabbis Walter and Yudin.  We also took some of our residents to various community events later in the day. 

On Monday evening we were delighted to have Cedar Village sponsor one night of the  JCCs ReelAbilities Disabilities Film Festival.  Cincinnati is the first city outside of New York to host this festival  and we were excited to take part.  Members of our management staff were present to help as greeters, ushers and ticket takers.  Then we had the real pleasure of seeing the film for that evening, Warrior Champions.  It's a documentary that focuses on four soldiers wounded in Iraq and their quest to recover from devastating injuries and become part of the United States Paralympics team.  It is an extraordinary film and I hope you all have a chance to see it.  We were so taken with it that we pre-ordered a copy for Cedar Village (it is not available just yet) because we think that our residents would love it.  It is inspirational and moving and a real tribute to the human spirit.

We had a change of pace on Tuesday evening when our friends from Morrison Senior Dining Services piloted a new initiative here at Cedar Village.  We had a "traveling chefs" dinner, featuring five chefs from throughout the region and each prepared one course of dinner.  The chefs came from Columbus and Louisville and of course our executive chef, Tracey, also took part.  Curious about the menu?  Here it is:  appetizer-smoked salmon canapé (with our own Cedar Village house smoked salmon); soup-butternut squash bisque; salad-a table side preparation of field greens, fresh berries, almonds and balsamic vinaigrette; entrees-choice of roast prime rib of beef or salmon wellington along with rosemary roasted fingerling potatoes and summer squash; dessert-flambé of stone fruits over homemade pound cake.  This was served in the Garden Dining Room and on both rehab units, Apple and Azalea.  The other long term health care units had a variation on the same menu.  Regardless of where folks ate, the feedback was the same-everyone loved it!

The new Rehabilitation Center is up and running-have you seen it yet? We would love to show it off-just stop by and ask for a tour.  We provide the full range of physical, occupational and speech therapy for both inpatients and outpatients.  One very exciting piece of equipment if our LCT-1000 deep tissue laser.  We are one of very few providers in the area to offer this service. This cool light laser can be very effective in promoting healing and reducing pain and we have had great results with our patients.  It's just one of the ways in which the Cedar Village Rehabilitation Center can help you or your loved one.  Call today for a free evaluation and more information, 754-3100.

All the best,

Carol Silver Elliott

CEO/President

carol@cedarvillage.org