From Surviving to Thriving: 10-Day Toolkit for Care Partners
| |

Introducing “From Surviving to Thriving: A 10-Day Toolkit for Care Partners”

by Mariam Boulos Hello Everyone! My name is Mariam Boulos. I am completing my doctorate in Occupational Therapy at Cleveland State University. Over the past few months, I had the pleasure of completing my capstone project at Brush Development Company in Northeast Ohio.   To give a bit of background, when I was looking for an…

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

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…

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

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…

Henna Jalovaara
| | |

Practitioner Symposium Spotlight: Henna Jalovaara

We had the privilege of having Henna Jalovaara, the founding member of Muisti Montessori, the Finnish Montessori for Dementia Association, speak at our symposium. Henna is an OT in a non-profit care home in Helsinki, Finland. This care home piloted Montessori in two of its eight households. During her presentation, Henna shared both the challenges and wins of initiating a Montessori program in her care community.

Beth Ann Scruggs
| |

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…

To Thrive or Not to Thrive… That is the Question
| | | |

To Thrive or Not to Thrive… That is the Question

It might be weighing heavily on your mind or just a passing thought… What kind of care community do you envision your loved one living in? Every person deserves to spend their lives engaging and thriving! Take a moment to relax and imagine a place like this… The day is bright and sunny and the…

elder living with purpose - creating a memoire
| | |

Inspiring Purpose through Montessori at Renew Center, Adult Enrichment Centers

We are proud to share this article written by Beth Ann Scruggs, Director of the Renew Montessori Center for Aging and Memory, an adult day program in Fort Mill, South Carolina. We have been in partnership with Renew since 2020, working with the leadership team to plan and implement a Montessori program, training staff, and providing ongoing coaching as the program got off the ground. We are so proud of all they have accomplished!

|

Follow us in a 12 month journey as we find our way From Can’t to Can Do!

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…

| | | | | | | | | |

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…

| | | | | | |

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…