The Montessori Method and Dementia

Recent research indicates that the Montessori Method can provide benefits to senior citizens who suffer from dementia. The method is an adaptation of techniques that were developed by Maria Montessori, an educator, and physician who worked extensively with children who exhibited a variety of mental states. Her experimentation revealed the value of her method, which is focused on learning through discovery, freedom of movement, and relatively long, uninterrupted periods of study.

Patients who suffer from dementia often forget how to do basic tasks and have trouble forming new memories from simple explanations. The Montessori Method allows patients to relearn how to perform those tasks through experimentation, a process that gives them a better chance of remembering how to do it in the future. The process also benefits from an emotional component. Seniors who learn through the Montessori Method can learn at their pace rather than either feeling patronized home care lancaster if their teacher is moving too slowly or stressed if their teacher is moving too quickly. The process is largely self-directed, which helps to ensure that patients feel independent of their assistants. Both aspects help to make sure that the method is both highly efficient and pleasant for everybody involved.

The method can also help seniors to master tasks that they have not encountered during the learning process. Patients who are treated with the Montessori Method practice the experimental process that helps them to figure out how to perform unfamiliar tasks on their own. The frequent practice also helps patients to learn that they can rely on their senses to learn about the environment. The method is as much a method of teaching patients how to function on their own and interact with the world as well as possible as it is a way of helping them to relearn specific tasks.

The method's value has been proven through experimentation. The D.C. Office on Aging sponsored a study in which a group of fifty dementia patients underwent therapy according to the Montessori Method for six months. The results were very promising. The patients showed a significant increase in their ability to carry out essential tasks such as folding laundry, organizing rooms, and reading. They also exhibited improved moods as revealed through increased smiling and laughter. The patients were also significantly more willing to interact with and help other people after the therapy. The method was also far easier for the teachers to implement for their patients than their previous forms of therapy. The value of the Montessori Method for improving the lives of dementia patients is evident in light of that study.

Dementia is a challenging condition for both patients and their caretakers, but the Montessori Method offers new hope for improving the lives of those who suffer from it.

Sara N. Larson is an dedicated worker settled in the company.She received his Master’s education in Commerce and is one of the capable and competent photojournalists present in the company