Not just for children:

The Montessori method of educating toddlers and preschoolers has been used to support those with dementia in the US and Australia since the late 1990's.
Now this pioneering aged-care system is in the UK.
"Seeing with Montessori goggles" will bring radical improvements to your care home and relative at home.

MontessoriU will guide and support you in transferring over the philosophy from children to the aged in your care; the philosophy that says children need choice, meaningful engagement and a sense of high self-esteem.
We need these at any age!

​​A key aspect of dementia is retrogenesis - the degeneration of faculties in the reverse order of that in which they were developed as a child.
However, this is not a reason to treat people with dementia like children.
Montessori for the elderly is about enabling them and increasing independence by rebuilding neural pathways and retraining the brain. 
Sensory perception is stimulated to help them rediscover and participate in the world around them.
Dr Cameron Camp, a noted American Psychologist pioneered the application of the Montessori Method for people with dementia that seeks to reactivate the types of memory spared by dementia, including motor memory e.g. dressing and eating.
We enable them to connect with those memories and pleasant events of the past and ultimately, they experience the associated happy feelings.
Levels of activity, independence and quality of life are increased. 











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If people with dementia are still able to learn how to do things through repetition using procedural memory, then they will be able to gainfully occupy themselves within the care home or home environment with daily tasks.
​They need to be able to learn to do things for themselves rather than be waited on.

 

We discourage the use of plastic bibs and cups for example, and unnecessary spoon-feeding. These rob people of their dignity.
Montessori aged-care is rehabilitative and requires taking a step back and observing. It is about moving away from over caring and being task orientated; it requires a paradigm shift in dementia care.
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The Montessori Method centres around child-led development. Observing the child's behaviour within the environment is key. Being led by the individual, using the strengths of each child and utilising the environment to support learning and development are all key.
Another important aspect of this teaching is setting up activities for children around their own strengths and weaknesses. One of Maria Montessori's most famous quotes was "help me do it myself", and this way of thinking fits neatly into the area of dementia care.
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Call or message 07557 649165 for information on how we can help transform your 

dementia care....

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https://www.facebook.com/montessoriusolutions/
 

 

 

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There are two types of long term memory.....

​Declarative memory  which includes the kinds of things you learned at school - facts, events, world knowledge or even the date you got married.
This is the first type of long term memory to go if you have dementia.

Procedural memory is learned by constant repetition and includes things like skills, habits, and most importantly for elderly care, priming. This type of memory is unconscious and automatic and can be used to help those with dementia relearn certain tasks which they may struggle with now.
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At MontessoriU, we carry out initial assessments to distinguish which people have any long term memory left and therefore, the capacity to learn. If the results are positive, then they will be able to learn to do things for themselves via their procedural memory and regain dignity and a reason for living.
Doing things for themselves will enable residents in a dementia care home to find self-initiated tasks and activities within the environment rather than purely stick to a traditional activities program.
In general, activity programs in care homes are available from Monday to Friday between 9 and 5. People with dementia need activities at 2am; they need activities on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning.
We help you set up environments where activities are available on a 24 hour basis, 7 days a week.

Our Montessori aged-care activities are very different to those found in care homes and more akin to those traditionally associated with an occupational therapist rather than an activities coordinator.
'Jobs' set up in the environment keep residents gainfully occupied rather than slipping into a bored malaise of sleeping in a chair outside the hours of traditional activities.
If someone has advanced dementia, they can still join in, as they will often be able to do repetitive tasks such as folding napkins for lunch, using the small amount of procedural memory they have left.
They will participate because retaining independence means so much to people with dementia, no matter how severe their condition is.
This applies to those living at home as well.

Residents take tasks very seriously indeed and will cling to their independence no matter what. 
Those with dementia instinctively know, even in their most reduced state, that losing their independence will lead to their eventual physical and mental decline.
It is our collective job to enable them to retain their dignity.


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This is an opportunity to create a world where people living with dementia are respected, valued and occupy a meaningful place in their community...…..