Passavant Community – a prepared environment for elders to enjoy

“But, we can’t leave materials out in our community – the residents will take things back to their room!”

ByJennifer Brush

In a Montessori community for older adults, a wide range of interesting materials are available on accessible shelves and tables from which individuals can choose. This idea often makes staff in long term care communities nervous when they first learn about it. “You mean everything is out all of the time? You don’t put it away and then bring it to them? Everyone in our community would take things into their rooms. This is never going to work!” I hear this at every single workshop I teach. It can work.

Nomenclature Cards
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Introducing Montessori for Elders in Norway

ByJennifer Brush

Elisabeth Rydland and Carolyn Magnussen are the first AMI Certified Practitioners in Montessori for Dementia and Ageing in Norway. They share a new, rewarding perspective, one that provides a deeper value to the Montessori philosophy and enhances quality of life for elders and people with dementia.

Metal Insets, a material in Montessori classrooms
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How to Use Montessori Materials with Older Adults

ByJennifer Brush

Just as Montessori classroom teachers guide and support students instead of lecturing to them, Montessori staff guide and support elders instead of doing everything for them. Staff and elders work shoulder to shoulder as equally valued members of a shared community. Elders are invited to take on leadership roles in their areas of interest, such as leading a book discussion group or planning the menu for a holiday meal. Materials for these activities are neatly organized, labeled, and physically accessible all throughout the living area. Staff guide elders with these roles and activities until they build new routines, and their skills improve to the point that most are able to enjoy these activities on their own. In this post, we explore what Montessori roles and activities for elders look like.

Montessori for Elder and Dementia Care
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What is Montessori for Dementia?

ByJennifer Brush

Montessori philosophy, based on the principles of free choice and purposeful activity, has historically been focused on children’s education. However, its essential principles and practices are increasingly seen as critical to enhancing the lives of the older adults in our care. Central to both the Montessori philosophy and person-centered care are the core values of respect for the individual, the importance of knowing the person deeply, seeking and honoring the elder’s preferences over all aspects of his or her daily life, and creating a supportive environment that allows for continued participation in familiar and preferred activities, inside and outside.

my family member at the assisted living community where he resides
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Simple In-Room Activity Idea

ByJennifer Brush

Many of you have written to share your challenges and successes over the past few weeks and to ask for simple activity ideas that can be done easily in one’s bedroom on a tray table. Here is an idea for a simple activity that can help an individual to maintain fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination while feeling a sense of purpose by caring for his or her belongings.

Amaran Assisted Living and Memory Care Community in Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Two Revolutionary New Montessori Communities

ByJennifer Brush

Amaran Assisted Living and Memory Care Community in Albuquerque, New Mexico, will provide Albuquerque with an innovative approach to senior care. The community, currently under construction, is scheduled to open November 2020. The vision for Amaran is a holistic care center that will weave together the concepts of Montessori learning and respectful care for the aging.

Nonna’s Intergenerational Christian Montessori is located in Wayzata, Minnesota and is the first of its kind, implementing the philosophy of Maria Montessori for both children and elders. Opening their doors in February 2019, Nonna’s has just celebrated their first year of business.

3 part cards (Nomenclature Cards)
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Simplicity is Often Best: Engaging Elders with Dementia

ByJennifer Brush

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes to the materials we use for engaging elders. Most of us eagerly welcome new ideas for roles and activities. I’ve been known to come up with some pretty elaborate concepts to try and shake things up, but I have learned that keeping it simple usually works best.

One of my favorite materials are Three-Part Cards (also known as Nomenclature Cards). These cards can be used to help elders maintain and improve language skills such as reading and naming. In addition, the materials can address sequencing, attention to task, fine and gross motor skills, turn taking, conversation and reminiscence.

Living an Abundant Life: Montessori for Aging
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Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone?

ByJennifer Brush

Culture change takes dedication, leadership, and a willingness to look at life differently. It means we have to try new things and be willing to be uncomfortable in order to grow. I love when I have the opportunity to show off a person-centered community that is putting the Montessori philosophy into action. Lutheran Senior Life, Passavant Community, has worked with me for the past year with one goal in mind: Use the Montessori philosophy to help their residents to live an abundant life.

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First Person in Mexico to Earn AMI Practitioner Certificate!

ByJennifer Brush

Congratulations to Julia Ballesteros Senties, the first person in Mexico to earn an AMI Practitioner Certification in Montessori for Dementia and Aging. Julia took the workshop with Jennifer Brush in Minneapolis and then studied with Jennifer for 6 months in the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Certificate Program. Julia is a speech and language therapist who…

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NCCAP Montessori for Dementia Engagement Certification

ByJennifer Brush

I am very excited to announce a new collaboration between The National Certification Council for Activity Professionals (NCCAP) and Brush Development Company.  We have  have partnered to offer health care professionals a Montessori for Dementia Engagement Certification. The Montessori for Dementia Engagement Certification curriculum provides a thorough introduction to using Montessori with elders and people…