Montessori Techniques and people with dementia
This exciting new area of work is expanding rapidly within the sphere of dementia care.
Fiona Fowler and her colleague Alistair Richardson have been involved in running training programmes that utilise the approach of Montessorian principles and working with people with dementia.
Maria Montessori’s work was predominantly with children but work in both America and Canada have seen significant results using these principles with people with dementia.
The Introductory course offers a broad insight into Montessori, the work of Cameron Camp and allows the learner the chance to explore the thinking behind the theory.
The practice day focuses on how Montessori might be applied over a range of different issues to improve the dining experience for people with dementia This day is very much “hands on” focusing on the practicalities involved in trying Montessori out in an area of care life recognised as a key quality of life issue.
It is recommended that learners should undertake both of the training days in order to gain the most benefit from the training.
Using Montessori Principles in Dementia Care - an introduction
- Course aim
- This one day course aims to introduce the developing paradigm of applying Montessorian principles in dementia care. Maria Montessori is well known as a radical educator of children, developing a philosophy of education that centred on the unique qualities of each child and facilitating the child’s innate desire to learn.
In the last 10 years, Dr Cameron Camp, a US based clinical psychologist, has developed a programme of research and procedures that aims to draw on Montessorian principles in engaging with the unique retained abilities of people with dementia to improve their quality of life.
- Learning Objectives
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- Review the participants’ understanding of the dementia spectrum.
- Identify the key issues surrounding memory in the dementia spectrum.
- Introduce the participant to the Montessorian paradigm as it has been applied to early-years education.
- Introduce the participant to the work of Dr Cameron Camp in the field of applying Montessorian principles in dementia care.
- Allow the participant to gave an insight into Camp’s methods through case study, practical exercises and role play.
- The Training Day - 9.30-4.00
- The Montessorian approach to child-centred education, its rehabilitative origins, application to mainstream education, philosophical parallels with person-centred care.
- What we know about dementia.
- The importance of memory. Skills, knowledge and the impact of dementia.
- Cameron Camp’s understanding of Montessorian theory and method.
- Procedural memory - how we learn. An exercise.
- Trying it out – engaging with a person with dementia - case study and role play.
- Discussion and review.
- Understanding task breakdown in assessment - “The Waistcoat” test - assessing the person’s cognitive and physical strengths through practical activity.
- Discussion and review.
- Applying memory - Cameron Camp’s experimental work in:
- Long term residential and day care settings
- people with dementia acting as facilitators
- Strengths and weaknesses of the Montessori approach - a discussion and summary of Camp’s own reflections.
- Evaluation.
- Close of training.
Montessorian Principles in Practice: How can we improve the overall eating experience and mealtimes for people with dementia?
- Course aim
- This one day course carries on some of the themes highlighted in "Using Montessori Principles in Dementia Care - an introduction" but focuses on applying the principles in addressing some of the issues around improving the person’s enjoyment of the dining experience. The course focuses on the practicalities surrounding assessing the strengths of a person with dementia within the context of the dining experience, the activities to be used to engage the person and the issue of evaluating the outcomes of such an approach.
- Learning Objectives
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- Consider the importance of mealtimes in the lives of people with dementia.
- Identify and review those factors that go to make up an enjoyable mealtime.
- Address the balance between negative and positive attributes of the person with dementia in respect of enjoying mealtimes.
- Selecting the appropriate activity set that addresses these issues.
- The practicalities - making use of everyday objects in designing activities.
- Approaches to issues surrounding the activities.
- Evaluating the utility of the activities in terms of – addressing motor skills, measuring effects on levels of engagement and enjoyment within the day to day dining experience.
- The Training Day - 9.30-4.00
- Welcome and introductions.
- The importance of meal times.
- Practical exercise: what factors come into play at mealtimes? What makes for an enjoyable experience?
- Discussion and review.
- Applying Montessorian principles: what need is to be addressed?
- Utilising the tool kit.
- Practical exercise - selecting a tool to address a need, building the tool, assessing the strengths of the person and inviting the person with dementia to participate.
- Discussion and review.
- Did it make a difference? Practical issues around looking for changes in the person looking for signs of well-being after using a Montessori activity.
- Measuring the difference - approaches and tools.
- Discussion and review.
- Round table discussion on the practicalities of implementing and assessing the Montessorian approach and its potential uses in the care of person with dementia.
- Evaluation of training.
- Close of training.