By Jennifer Brush Recently my husband and I designed and built a new home. The main focus of design was to create a house that was connected to nature. We wanted to feel outside when we were inside, to have forest views from every room, and to feel truly in nature throughout all of the spaces. The color…
By Nancy Cruz and Francia Muñiz They say the most beautiful stories begin with a purpose. “Abue,” who is now 104 years old, is Francia’s grandmother, and “Rito,” who passed away six years ago, was Nancy’s grandfather. Inspired by the wisdom and love of their grandparents, Francia and Nancy became the co-founders of Villa Montessori,…
By Nancy Cruz and Francia Muñiz Dicen que las causas más fieles comienzan con una historia. “Abue” quién hoy tiene 104 años es abuelita de Francia, y “Rito” quién murió hace 6 años fue abuelito de Nancy. Ambas inspiradas en sus historias familiares son socias fundadoras de Villa Montessori, Residencia del Adulto Mayor en Guadalajara,…
My work through the Fulbright Finland Specialist program in the area of Public/Global Health focused on building staff competencies in person-centered care using the Montessori philosophy of living applied to elders. The Fulbright Specialist project was hosted by MuistiMontessori, the only association in Finland dedicated to applying the Montessori philosophy to individuals living with cogntive…
By Mandy Cheskis, MS, CCC/SLP “Follow the child” is one of the key principles of Montessori education. It encourages parents to observe and respect their children’s own pace and interests. The full quotation of Maria Montessori can help us understand what she meant: “Follow the child but follow them as their leader.” In our work in…
Implementing Montessori involves culture change throughout the community. You can’t do it alone. You will need the full buy-in of your community’s leadership. So how do you prepare the bring this idea to your leadership team? Review the community’s mission and vision. Align your proposal with the organization’s objectives. Whatever you propose for the…
by Pamela Leudke, Certified Montessori Guide & Certified Montessori Elder Care Practitioner (Ontario, Canada) Bread and the breaking of it, in community with others, is a universal food and ritual that crosses the centuries, cultures and all ages. And such was the story of a simple bread maker and the elder for my Case Study…
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…
by Rita Akins, Montessori Images, Company founder A Whole Brain WorkoutJust as reading is one of the last functions lost in dementia, musical memory is accessible even in the late stages of memory disorders when only some brain tissue is still capable of functioning normally. Because musical perception is processed throughout the entire brain, music…
In a time when we are all experiencing frustrations about being short staffed, we should consider engaging healthy, older adults living in our communities who have the time and interest to help others. Many retired individuals are more than willing to spend a few hours a week with frail or cognitively impaired elders to enhance…
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…
