Montessori for Dementia, Disability, and Ageing:

A Transformative Workshop

The Montessori Training Center recently organized a two-day workshop on Montessori for Dementia, Disability, and Ageing through the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). The workshop, delivered by renowned aged care Montessori Consultant and registered nurse Anne Kelly, aimed to empower caregivers and professionals to create supportive environments for persons living with cognitive disability. By incorporating Montessori principles, attendees gained insights into a holistic philosophy of care and learned how to enhance the lives of those with dementia, disabilities, and ageing concerns. 

The Person-Centered Approach: 
The importance of adopting a person-centered approach when caring for individuals with dementia, disabilities, and ageing concerns was paramount. This approach recognizes and celebrates each individual’s unique strengths, needs, and preferences. Attendees learned how to tailor their care strategies to suit the individual, ensuring that their physical, emotional, and social well-being are prioritized. The Montessori philosophy of care focuses on strengths, needs, interests and abilities. 

The concept of Emotional Intelligence (EI) was discussed at length early in the workshop, as strong EI is needed for working with people. Developing a culture that values personal competence (how we manage ourselves) and social competence (how we handle relationships) allows persons that need care to more authentically interact with one another and supports the caregivers in being more authentic as they engage with those who need support.   

The more you do for me, the more you steal from me. 

The workshop commenced by delving into the history, culture, and principles of the Montessori model of care. Observation is a necessary tool used to identify responsive behaviors in order to assess why such behaviors happen and to identify how people’s needs are addressed so that ‘behaviors of unmet needs’ are not actualized. Attendees received an overview of different dementia diagnoses and learned how to modify activities to suit early, mid and late stages of dementia, all while gaining insight into the Montessori philosophy, a strength based approach, emphasizing individuality and human dignity.  

Understand their reality – don’t expect them to be with you in yours. 

Empowering Individuals through a Prepared Environment: 
One of the key objectives of the workshop was to equip attendees with the knowledge and skills to create a prepared environment for individuals in need.  A primary aim of the prepared environment is to enable the older adult to be as independent as possible, so that they can live their best life. Attendees discovered various techniques to create an environment that promotes independence, safety, and engagement. From incorporating familiar cues and memory supports to arranging the physical space to facilitate ease of movement, caregivers and professionals gained practical insights into optimizing the living environment for those in need.  

This environment, whether in the home, day program or care community, is designed to provide cues and memory supports that enable individuals to care for themselves, others, and their community. By establishing a prepared environment, caregivers and professionals can foster independence, self-esteem, and a sense of purpose among those they support. 

Methodology and Implementation: 
The workshop also delved into the practical aspects of implementing the Montessori model of care. Attendees were introduced to effective strategies and techniques to engage individuals in meaningful activities that promote cognitive stimulation, social interaction, and personal growth. By incorporating these methodologies into their practice, caregivers and professionals can enhance the quality of life for those they support. 

The two-day workshop on Montessori for Dementia, Disability, and Ageing delivered by Anne Kelly proved to be an enlightening and transformative experience for all attendees. By understanding the Montessori model as a philosophy of care, participants gained valuable insights into creating a prepared environment and implementing person-centered approaches. Armed with these newfound knowledge and skills, caregivers and professionals can now provide holistic care that empowers individuals to lead fulfilling lives, even in the face of dementia, disabilities, and ageing concerns. Many of the participants are moving forward to become Certified Montessori for Dementia, Disability and Ageing Practitioners.

Our Training Center will host the Montessori for Dementia, Disability, and Ageing workshop again.  Join the mailing list found online at www.mtcne.org/agedcare to be included in all email updates about our Montessori for Dementia, Disability, and Ageing programming.