I have been reading a marvelous book by Tom and Karen Brenner entitled: ‘ You Say Goodbye and We Say Hello, the Montessori Method for Positive Dementia Care’. Quoting directly from the book, they explained it brilliantly:
…. ‘we use the Montessori philosophy as our foundation for interacting with people living with memory loss because this philosophy is based on finding and building on the strengths of each person. The Montessori philosophy also teaches us to work with the whole person and to pay attention to the intellectual, physical and spiritual components of each individual. Dr. Montessori believed devoutly that every person deserves to be treated with respect and compassion. She encouraged us to celebrate our individual gifts and to recognize each person’s abilities. We use Montessori materials to create new experiences for those living with dementia.
…Some of our most astonishing experiences in using the Montessori Method for dementia care have happened when we created intergenerational programs. There is a kind of magic that happens when we bring young children and elders together. ‘
