A Montessori environment has different activities and work sitting out on tables and shelves and encourages individuals to decide what to work on each day. This provides structure, but also gives the person independence, self-esteem and the knowledge that they are respected. The Montessori for Aging and Dementia philosophy believes that people with dementia should…
If you have ever visited someone with dementia in a nursing home, then you know it can be hard to think of things to do or talk about to keep the visit going. The quality of the visit is much more important than the length of the visit. Individuals with dementia may not remember what…
Although we would all like our loved ones to age gracefully at home, there may come a time that our parent or spouse requires a level of care that we just can’t provide at home. Many of my clients ask me to help their family prepare for the transition when it’s time to move their…
Last week, Association Montessori International held the first European Symposium on Montessori for Aging and Dementia in Prague. I was honored to be one of the featured speakers and chose to speak about making the connection between the Montessori classroom and a Montessori community for elders. I shared with the audience the difference and similarities…
Adapted from Getting Started with Montessori Volume 1 by Brush & Norris ((c) 2017 Brush Development Company) Dr. Montessori developed practical life activities to help children develop coordination, order, independence, and concentration. By developing those qualities, the child is able to get the most out of the learning experience. There are four main areas of practical…
By Renee Van Y As with any new learning process, April has seen a lot of ups and some downs with the Montessori program. We knew that we needed more activities for the residents to do on their own (either initiated by them or by staff assisting them in getting started), because individual activities are…
Join us as we recap month 3 on our “From Can’t to Can Do!” Montessori project at Clark Retirement By: Jennifer Brush and Renee Van Y We have made progress in five areas this month that have improved different aspects of communication at Clark Retirement. Name tags When someone calls us by name, we feel…
Learn how Brush Development is working alongside staff and residents to implement meaningful change We are off and running with a lot of progress in several areas of our Montessori project at Clark Retirement Community this month! Research First, our researchers, Natalie Douglas, PhD, Michelle Bourgeois, PhD, and students from Central Michigan University working with…
Stay up to date and learn alongside Jennifer Brush and her team as they implement a model program of person-directed living It’s a new year, a time for new beginnings, and the perfect time to start a new project. During 2017, I’ll be working with the team at Clark Retirement Community in Grand Rapids, Michigan…
Let’s not keep secrets any longer. I’m please to welcome Vicki Tapia as our guest this month, author of Somebody Stole My Iron. By reading about one what daughter’s journey was like with Alzheimer’s disease, you may find help with the challenges you face. Reticence by Vicki Tapia An unexplained inner drive compelled me to…
We are pleased to announce that Brush Development is the first Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) training center in the U.S. for Montessori for Aging and Dementia. Jennifer Brush, an AMI Certified Educator, is the only person in the U.S. to offer the two-day Montessori for Aging and Dementia workshop, which is the first step…
The ability to speak, hear, and understand language and conversation are central to almost every aspect of daily life. Yet, these skills are often taken for granted until someone loses them. For older Americans, communication disorders are among the most common challenges they may face. Unfortunately, these disorders may go untreated for years—or may never…
