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Enhancing Engagement Through Volunteers
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…
Simplicity is Often Best: Engaging Elders with Dementia
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.
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!
“But, we can’t leave materials out in our community – the residents will take things back to their room!”
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.
Brush Development’s First Annual Practitioner Symposium
The First Annual Practitioner Symposium on September 29th brought together Montessori professionals from around the world who have completed our Practitioner Certification Course. Since the first cohort was certified in 2016, there are now over 276 Certified Montessori for Aging and Dementia Practitioners around the world.
