Now Available! Montessori for Elder and Dementia Care (Second Edition)
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Now Available! Montessori for Elder and Dementia Care (Second Edition)

by Jennifer Brush & Margaret Jarrell We are proud to announce the publication of the second edition of our book, Montessori for Elder and Dementia Care through Health Professions Press! The first edition focused on clearly explaining the concepts behind this highly person-centered approach, how to create a prepared environment, and how to increase levels…

Presenting “From Can’t to Can Do!” at MINT
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Presenting “From Can’t to Can Do!” at MINT

by Margaret Jarrell I recently spent two days in Dallas at the Montessori Institute of North Texas presenting our two-day introductory workshop to Montessori for Aging and Dementia. The workshop was attended by Montessori educators and trainers, loved ones of people living with dementia, as well as healthcare and longterm care professionals. The introductory workshop…

Sharing Story & Song with People Living with Dementia
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Sharing Story & Song with People Living with Dementia

by Rita Akins, Montessori Images, Company founder A Whole Brain WorkoutJust as reading is one of the last functions lost in dementia, musical memory is accessible even in the late stages of memory disorders when only some brain tissue is still capable of functioning normally. Because musical perception is processed throughout the entire brain, music…

Ways to Engage Someone with Dementia in the Outdoors
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Ways to Engage Someone with Dementia in the Outdoors

Current research shows that outdoor activity promotes brain plasticity by stimulating new connections between cells in the parts of our brain responsible for speech, processing, interpreting sensory stimulation, coordination, problem solving, emotional reasoning and complex thought.  When we are outside, we are exposed to 33–66 times the amount of natural light that we receive indoors. Being…

Meaningful Engagement – A Critical Component of Elders’ Care Plans
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Meaningful Engagement – A Critical Component of Elders’ Care Plans

You know this elder well. Whether because she is a family member, friend, or resident in your care community, you have taken the time to get to know important details about her past, her interests, her strengths, her challenges, and her preferences. Now what?  Now, it’s time to create a meaningful engagement plan. The Montessori…

Meet Our New Partner, Penny McPeak!
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Meet Our New Partner, Penny McPeak!

With a passion for photography, Penny McPeak started Penny & Lucy Lou Art in May of 2013, a truly unique art line that stands out by offering custom products for any type of interior or exterior art installation. All art is a turn-key finished product, created digitally, printed on various substrates, and manufactured in the Carolinas.  The art used in…

Beth Ann Scruggs
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Practitioner Symposium Spotlight: Beth Ann Scruggs

Beth Ann Scruggs took the Practitioner Certificate course to design ideas and programs that were practical and engaging for members of an adult day program. In the end she gained more than she expected. Beth Ann is part of a team of dedicated providers at Renew, a Montessori based Adult Day Program in South Carolina. Their…

Kathy Werner from Seven Bends Studio
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Practitioner Symposium Spotlight: Elder Award Nominee – Kathy Werner

Kathy Werner enrolled in the Montessori Practitioner’s Certificate course because of her strong desire to learn Montessori in a hands-on way. Kathy has eleven years of experience as a trainer working with adults with intellectual and physical disabilities and 20 years working as a physical therapist assistant. One of Kathy’s case studies was with a…

Resident watering garden in Montessori environment
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Evergreen House: A Care Community that Feels Like Home

Since 2018, Jennifer has been working with Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina and McMillan Pazdan & Smith Architects to design Evergreen House, The Village at Summerville’s new memory support neighborhood. Evergreen House opened in December 2021 and is in the year-long process of rolling out the Montessori for Aging and Dementia philosophy. It is a beautifully designed space based on best practices for people living with dementia. Take a look at the design renderings – now brought to life!