Many individuals living with dementia forget to eat or become overwhelmed at the thought of preparing meals or making choices about what to eat. Rather than care partners taking over every related to meal time, we can often modify the home environment to provide structure, but also gives the person independence, self-esteem and the knowledge that…
To have the most success during activities and conversations with people with dementia, care partners will need to adjust their style of communication so it is easier for the person with dementia to understand and follow the conversation. Here are some tips that will ensure success. Consider this Sometimes it is hard to remember that…
This year I collaborated on a wonderful story written and illustrated especially for elders with dementia called A Day on the Wind Seeker. People living with dementia are able to and enjoy reading a loud, but many of the books available in large print with high contrast graphics are childish and not designed for adults. …
I am excited to be traveling to Ireland in Spring 2018 to teach my From Can’t to Can Do! Montessori for Aging and Dementia workshop. All interested in Montessori for aging are invited to attend. Below is the announcement recently released by Saint Nicholas Montessori College of Ireland. Saint Nicholas Montessori College Ireland (SNMCI) and…
Part of my private practice involves working with individuals who are learning to manage the early symptoms of dementia while living at home. I help them to maintain their cognitive skills and ability to care for themselves, encourage them to exercise, eat well, and maintain their social lives, and we work together to make modifications…
As part of my work with Montessori for Dementia, I have encouraged care communities to provide large print reading material for people with dementia and to establish daily reading groups. Reading Groups are a great way to give people an opportunity to socialize, take turns and contribute to a group without putting pressure on the…
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…
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…
