News and Stories

Montessori materials serve as purposeful tools designed to facilitate learning while promoting holistic development that respects the dignity and capabilities of each individual. The prepared adult who supports another adult or elderly individual acts as a bridge between the material and the person, creating a unique…

Los materiales Montessori sirven como herramientas con propósito diseñadas para facilitar el aprendizaje mientras promueven un desarrollo holístico que respeta la dignidad y las capacidades de cada individuo. El adulto preparado que apoya a otro adulto o a una persona mayor actúa como un puente entre el material y la…

In her recent blog on "Bringing the Outdoors In During the Winter Months" Jennifer Brush from Brush Development Company provided some wonderful examples on how we can share the beauty and connect with nature even when indoors. These include:Create Seasonal Displays - Arrange moss, pinecones, acorns, leaves, ferns,…

We are delighted to share that there's a new edition of Montessori for Elder and Dementia Care by Jennifer Brush and Margaret Jarrell. Written by international Montessori and dementia experts, this indispensable guide to Montessori for elders makes it possible for any care provider to understand and implement this…

Mandy Cheskis and Margaret Jarrell joined Greenspring Center for Lifelong Learning on their Voices of Montessori podcast to discuss Montessori for Aging and Dementia and how this movement is changing care for elders. After painting a picture of the current state of longterm care, Mandy and Margaret then share some…

Today, on September 21st, we are observing the International Day of Peace as well as World Alzheimer's Day. This day serves as an opportunity to increase global awareness, educate, and encourage support for those living with dementia. The documentary "Keys Bags Names Words" made its debut in San Francisco earlier this…

Articles published in Norway and Finland on Montessori for Dementia and Ageing.

Jennifer Brush and Julia Johnson from Brush Development were recently interviewed by SpeechPathology.com on "Incorporating Montessori into Speech-Language Pathology Practice". In the article they discuss how Montessori is successful in the treatment of adults with dementia using a person-centered approach and ways to…

What kind of care community do you envision your loved one living in?

The Akron-Summit County Public Library (Ohio, USA) has Memory Kits to purchase. The Kits, developed with Jennifer Brush of Brush Development (along Montessori For Dementia and Aging principles and practices) and with funding support from the Ohio Council for Cognitive Health, provide experiences that:Speak to the…

Jennifer Brush Awarded Fulbright Specialist for Norway Montessori Project

We are delighted to congratulate Jennifer Brush who has won a silver medal in the book category in The National 2021 Mature Media awards for Montessori for Elder and Dementia Care. The National Mature Media Awards is the nation’s largest awards program of its kind, recognising the best marketing, communications,…

Southern Cross Care Tasmania, an aged care provider, was the first in Tasmania to implement Montessori principles for ageing and dementia at one of its locations, Rivulet Memory Support Unit.

The first Montessori for Dementia and Ageing workshops in the Nordics.

Care staff and families need to be mindful they don’t fall into the trap of over-caring for people with dementia, warns dementia care expert, Anne Kelly in a recent interview with Michaela Chirgwin for carehome.co.uk.

Antipsychotic drugs are often prescribed for people with dementia as an answer to the changes in their behaviour, despite the lack of evidence to support their efficacy, and much of this happens in a care home setting.Care partners that have implemented the Montessori approach to dementia care have seen drastic…

Interview with Anne Kelly, Head of Montessori for Dementia and Ageing at AMI.

You may have already seen Hack Care, a 240-page IKEA-style catalogue that uses simple design innovations and hacks to shape environments that empower people with dementia.We think it’s a fantastic step towards creating an environment that enables people with dementia to live as independently as possible, which is at…

A recent study published by Michelle Bourgeois and Jennifer Brush showed success in improving engagement and affect in older adults with mild memory concerns while engaging with children.

One of the most common questions I am asked by my clients is, “What do I say when residents repeatedly ask me to take them home?”

Montessori for Dementia and Ageing is revolutionising the culture of dementia care worldwide. Association Montessori Internationale is already changing lives through Montessori teacher training in 33 countries, and by the end of the year Montessori for Dementia and Ageing will have AMI certification graduates in…

All of us have been impacted by COVID-19 in many ways, both professionally and personally. The presence of the virus has also created some significant challenges for those living with dementia, especially for those living in long term care communities. Bonnie Burman from The Ohio Council for Cognitive Health and…

Anne Kelly was interviewed recently for The Elder Magazine.

Dr. Maria Montessori wrote that “joy, feeling one's own value, being appreciated and loved by others, feeling useful and capable of production are all factors of enormous value for the human soul.”

For people living with dementia, reading is a preserved skill. Therefore visual aids that include written information can be used as memory supports.

The "prepared environment" is designed to facilitate independence and exploration. When designing a Montessori environment for older adults, it can be hard to know where to start. Keep these simple tips in mind.

Cognitive mapping is our ability to visualise where we are in a certain space.It allows us to park, go into a store and find our car again, or find the bathroom at night without turning on the lights. People living with dementia have impaired cognitive mapping skills, so they look for cues in the environment to help…

What do you get when a Montessori teacher, an illustrator and a dementia expert create together? A book designed especially for elders with dementia.

Last week I taught at the internationally recognised Montessori Center of Minnesota (MCM). The centre has offered high-quality, hands-on training in Dr. Montessori's proven method of education to the world's leading Montessori teachers for more than 40 years.

Boredom is one of greatest issues we face in dementia care. In fact, boredom contributes to many of the “challenging” or “difficult” behaviours associated with dementia (often referred to as responsive behaviours). We need to understand that all behaviour has meaning and recognise that many of the behaviours we see in…

In this second post about creating meaningful and dignified meal times, we look at how small changes to the environment can make our care homes really feel like home.Creating the Dining ExperienceThe dining experience extends far beyond the meals we eat. In longterm care people will dine together three times a day…

When people cannot retain information internally due to cognitive deficits it becomes important that the information is stored in an external location where the person is able to see it and use it to function to their highest possible level.

Dr. Montessori developed practical life activities to help children develop coordination, order, independence and concentration. By developing those qualities, the child is able to get the most out of the learning experience.

The beloved Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz perhaps sums things up best: “There’s no place like home”. For those living in long-term care this statement is often expressed with heartfelt sincerity, especially in environments that do not look, feel or smell like home. We all have the need to feel we belong, to feel…

Prior to admission, there are many roles that a person may fulfil – husband, father, partner, grandparent, handyman, bill payer, lover, gardener, confidant, church goer, friend, shopper, cook, babysitter, mechanic, driver, Rotarian, problem solver, protector, rubbish remover, neighbour and so the list goes on. The…