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Montessori Practical Life Activities for Individuals with Dementia

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…

April Update – Clark Retirement Community
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April Update – Clark Retirement Community

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…

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Communication is the Key to all Relationships

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…

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An Unsung Hero…The Family Caregiver

This week I welcome Vicki Tapia as a guest blogger, family care partner, and advocate for people with dementia.    By Vicki Tapia: In 2004, my father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s-related dementia and a few months later, my mother with Alzheimer’s disease. That was the year I became a caregiver. While my parents didn’t reside with me,…

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November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month & National Family Caregivers Month

In honor of National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month this November, I am offering some helpful tips for the many men and women helping to care for and support their loved ones with Alzheimer’s Disease or another type of dementia. Below are the top five most effective tips for positive communication…

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New Online Training Available to Help Navigate Neurocognitive Disorders

As health care professionals, our role is to collaborate with older adults, to help them fill-in the gaps of their abilities and to help them succeed at doing what they want to do. Brush Development Company is offering a new 12-hour online, one-on-one private course that invites, encourages and challenges speech-language pathologists and other health…

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I Care Inspires Care Partners of People with Dementia

Fear, frustration and stress – Being a care partner of a loved one with dementia is physically and emotionally difficult, but help and support are available. I Care: A Handbook for Care Partners of People With Dementia, written by Jennifer Brush and Kerry Mills, provides caregivers a sense of hope and inspiration to make the…

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First long-term Care Community in Argentina to Complete Montessori Training

Congratulations to the staff at Fundacion Nuevo Hohar LeDor VaDor for enthusiastically completing their first Montessori for Dementia workshop. Approximately 35 staff members from a large Jewish home for the aged in Buenos Aires spent time in intense training with me in September. As I reflect on my time with the staff, I can’t help…

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Jennifer Brush Featured in ASHA Leader Article about Helping People with Dementia Eat the Foods They Love

Jennifer Brush was recently featured in an article from the October 2015 issue of ASHA Leader, published by the American Speech and Hearing Association. In the article, entitled “Stepping Up to the Plate,” Jennifer was interviewed about her person-centered approach to helping older adults with dementia find ways to enjoy the foods they love while…

The Importance of Personalization in Long Term Care Communities
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The Importance of Personalization in Long Term Care Communities

The Importance of Personalization in Long Term Care Communities By Jennifer Brush, MA, CCC/SLP An individual’s possessions represent a lifetime of memories, achievements and activities. It is vital that new residents be allowed to bring some of their favorite and special items of furniture and belongings with them when moving into a residential setting. Care…

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Caring for Your Loved One with GRACE

I am pleased to welcome Melissa Cohn Bernstein, one of our guest bloggers this month.  Melissa and I have collaborated on online learning projects together for a number of years.  Melissa owns Dynamic Learning Online, an excellent source of continuing education for health care professionals.  Thank you Jennifer for inviting us to Guest Blog for…

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Facing the Challenge of Good Nutrition as We Age

I am very pleased to introduce you to our guest blogger this week, Kathy Birkett, RDN.   Kathy is a registered and licensed dietitian nutritionist with over thirty years of experience helping patients, clients and their family members achieve healthy lives through nutrition. She has provided nutrition advice to people in a variety of settings,…