I recently had the honor of presenting with my colleague, Mandy Cheskis, at the 2023 AMI-USA Refresher Course: The Montessori Experience. Our presentation was titled “Using Montessori Materials to Invite Meaningful Engagement and Maintain Skills for Adults Living with Dementia,” and provided an introduction to how Montessori materials can be used with older adults and people living with dementia at all stages to invite meaningful engagement and maintain skills critical to preserving independence.
Montessori for Aging and Dementia combines the Montessori philosophy with person centered care and best practices for people living with dementia. Just as in a Montessori classroom, a Montessori community for adults invites individuals with a wide range of abilities and interests to choose from an array of hands-on activities and community roles.
While some activities are created or adapted specifically for older adults and people living with dementia, other materials are the same ones used in Montessori classrooms around the world.
The Greenspring Center for Lifelong Learning’s mission is to elevate and support the critical work of Montessori teachers, leaders, and schools. You can learn more about Montessori for Aging and Dementia from the Association Montessori Internationale or Brush Development.
