Kendal At Ithaca

12/04/2025

At Windows Dining, the aptly named restaurant at Kendal at Ithaca, residents come together to enjoy exceptional meals, build connections, and experience a welcoming atmosphere designed to foster community. Tonight, the staff appreciated the sunset as they prepared the dining room for the dinner crowd.

Bon Appétit!

12/03/2025

Spoiler alert: You may want to grab a tissue. This deeply heartfelt piece was written after managers at Kendal at Ithaca invited employees to express their feelings about their roles as caregivers. Thank you, Kieren Hoey, for sharing your thoughts and your eloquent writing.

Kendal at Ithaca shares caregivers’ stories highlighting the compassion and dedication of CNAs and RCAs in resident care.

11/27/2025

Wishing everyone a safe and wonderful holiday. We are deeply grateful every day for the residents and staff who make this community so special.

11/26/2025

The Third Tuesday Talk is a monthly event organized, attended, and led by residents. It began as a way for residents to safely connect and remain engaged as the world emerged from the pandemic. Since then, attendance has grown, but the purpose remains the same: to highlight the diverse and compelling life experiences of residents at Kendal at Ithaca, foster connection, and promote lifelong learning. The presentations cover a wide variety of topics, and the unique perspectives and experiences of Kendal residents are exactly what make the Third Tuesday Talks and life at Kendal so special!

Pictured is Robin, former owner of Silk Oak, presenting to a full house this October: “Art for Survival: Designing My Way Through Tough Times.”

A few of 2025’s topics include: “The Twin Experience,” “Assessing the Health of the Finger Lakes’ Streams,” “Bird Migration,” “The Lighter Side of Dark Times in Cartoons,” and “Chatting With AI: How Two Minds Can Be Better Than One, Even If One Is Artificial.”

11/19/2025

Do you have a long list of goals this holiday season? Join us this Saturday, November 22nd, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Kendal Craft Fair. Residents and employees of Kendal at Ithaca have been crafting for a cause, and all vendor booth fees and proceeds from the raffle will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association in support of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Find one-of-a-kind gifts and support the crafters while checking some items from your list!

Enjoy convenient parking and explore a wide variety of handmade items being showcased in the Kendal Auditorium. You will find jewelry, artwork, soap, personalized gifts, home décor, crocheted items, quilts, shawls, rustic wood-crafted items, crafts made from antique silverware, purses, and more.

10/28/2025

We’re hiring a Full-Time Cook who’s passionate about great food, teamwork, and meaningful work — all without the late-night grind. At Kendal at Ithaca, we value our staff as much as our residents, offering a supportive and respectful environment where you can grow and thrive.

👉 Ready to bring your culinary passion to a place that values you?
Apply online today: https://kai.kendal.org/about/careers/

10/23/2025

Kendal at Ithaca is crafting for a great cause! We still have spots available for vendors, so please share this opportunity with your crafty friends and family. Space is limited, so don’t miss your chance to showcase your creativity while supporting the Alzheimer's Association, just in time for the holidays.

This event is open to the public, welcoming both vendors and shoppers! For vending information, contact Jodi at jabel@kai.kendal.org, before November 1st.

10/17/2025

We believe that curiosity never retires and that lifelong learning is vital for fostering social connections and promoting cognitive health. At Kendal at Ithaca, residents have numerous opportunities to pursue and facilitate lifelong learning. One popular option is the monthly CAPE (Cornell Academics & Professors Emeriti) lecture series held on our campus. This month, residents enjoyed a presentation by Jim Cordes, the Feldstein Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University, titled “Gravitational Waves: A New Window on the Universe.”

10/10/2025

What began as a casual conversation among three residents reminiscing about the soundtracks of their past has grown into an unofficial “pub singing” group. Today, the trio has grown into a lively group of about twenty, and from what we can tell, their main goal is simple: to have fun!

10/06/2025

At Kendal at Ithaca, active aging week isn’t just a week; it’s a way of life.

We appreciate the dynamic and lively spirit of the residents at Kendal at Ithaca who create a vibrant and active community all year long.

Kendal at Ithaca values our diverse resident programs that promote healthy living through wellness experiences, encouraging residents to stay active, engaged, and pursue lifelong learning opportunities.

Living

09/30/2025

It's not too late to make an appointment to save a life, and October 8th is next week. If you haven't already, make your appointment today!

09/29/2025

Due to popular demand, this fall, there are now two sections of the Kendal Memoir Writing group led by Lynda D. Bogel, a retired Senior Lecturer from Cornell’s Department of Literatures in English.

Lynda explains that “adding the additional section helps keep the numbers small enough to offer places for trust and sharing of life stories, and to discuss one another's tales. While they meet for just one hour a week, they write daily and share writings ahead of class, so that in class, residents can respond with appreciation, questions, and suggestions.”

Over time, the group has been guided by different leaders and has been drawing Kendal writers for several years. Lynda notes that “prompts are used to inspire creative approaches to exploring pieces of their lives, participants write short and longer vignettes of great variety.”

In fact, one of the earlier writing groups compiled their stories and published a book titled "Narrating Our Lives." It's exciting to think about what the next group might achieve!