One of the guiding principles of the Montessori method of teaching is to “follow the child”, in other words, the teacher must consider the capabilities and needs of each child, tailoring activities to make them a little beyond the child’s comfort zone but not so challenging that he or she becomes frustrated and gives up. This same concept can be applied to those caring for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

The Montessori method of engaging the senses can be applied very effectively for those with the disease to help reconnect the pathways in the brain with experiences which they are losing access to and to rediscover the world around them. Caregivers and researchers alike are discovering the benefits of preparing an environment rich in sensory experiences such as art & music and physical activity (dance in particular) which enable those with dementia to “re-feel” positive emotions that they may have lost the ability to experience.

Traditional Montessori activities based on every-day living activities such as buttoning, zipping, lacing, plaiting, threading and pegging are very effective ways to stimulate fine motor movement memory. Although sufferers may become afraid or withdrawn as dementia advances, in many cases long-term memories will be largely well preserved. The Montessori method can provide ways to reignite those memories. Giving someone fresh flowers, an empty vase and a jug full of water may give him or her a way to step out of a sense of isolation and into a beautiful spring day because the experience of filling the vase with water and placing the flowers in the vase, while enjoying the smell of the blooms is enough to powerfully call forth a memory of cutting fresh flowers and arranging them in a vase. The attention to detail and personal touches which provide an enriching environment for young children and are hallmarks of the Montessori method help caregivers to maximise their loved ones’ opportunities to reconnect with pleasant events of the past and to experience accompanying positive emotions.

How to connect with the person who is still here? One answer to this question is to use the Montessori approach to re-engage the types of memory that are spared by dementia including motor memory such as how to dress and how to eat. Activities such as using a slotted spoon to discover small hidden treasures (which may be familiar to the person) in a large bowl of rice or the simple act of transferring beads or sand from one small wooden bowl to another using a spoon are commonly used in Montessori settings to help to settle new children and also to start developing their fine motor skills. In the same way, this process can be used to allow the brain to re-learn the motor skills necessary to feed oneself. Another simple activity commonly used in early years Montessori settings is folding clean clothes or pairing socks and gloves (which may have been washed in the same type of washing liquid that the adult with dementia has been used to in their home environment). This type of sensory activity is not only soothing for someone who may be feeling unsettled or afraid, but is another way to reconnect with some comforting memories from home. Other every day activities such as laying the table and polishing are also beneficial and soothing.

Those with dementia or Alzheimer’s can learn to enjoy the process of participating in something they used to regularly do and come away with a sense of accomplishment which helps to greatly improve quality of life. Memory boxes are a very effective way of connecting with things which have meaning for the individual. These can be personalised to the unique needs of each person depending on their emotional, cultural and spiritual needs.

When a person is diagnosed with dementia, freedom of choice is sadly often in jeopardy. Decisions are made on his or her behalf because it is assumed that the individual is no longer able to make decisions and therefore any sense of independence is lost. Montessori environments focus on the ability to give freedom of choice where possible. Maria Montessori’s legacy for the understanding of early childhood development focused on the importance of children having an active and meaningful role in the classroom and setting up the ideal environment to support the child. “Help me to help myself” a well known Montessori mantra can also be applied to the care of those with dementia or Alzheimer’s. By encouraging independence and preparing environments where each person can connect with things which have personal meaning to them, self esteem can be rekindled and quality of life greatly enhanced.

“Help me to help myself” is one of the most well known Montessori mantras. Maria Montessori recognised the child’s innate need for independence and for learning rooted in real experiences of their environment in order to foster both physical and intellectual development.

An important principle of Montessori‘s philosophy is that children can only follow their natural course of development by engaging in real ‘work’ using their hands . Because children live in a world dominated by adults and their priorities, there can often be little opportunity for the child to fulfil this inner drive for independence. If the child’s attention is occupied purely by toys or screen-time, there is no opportunity to engage in activities of everyday life such as helping to set the table, load the washing machine, pour him or herself a drink or get dressed independently. “The child’s first instinct is to carry out his actions by himself, without anyone helping him and his first conscious bid for independence is made when he defends himself against those who try to do the action for him (Maria Montessori – The Absorbent Mind).

In a Montessori setting all of the Practical Life (or Activities of Everyday Living) activities are designed to aid the development of manipulative skills and include pouring, transferring, threading, sewing, cutting and pegging activities. These offer young children opportunities to perfect new skills which will provide them with the expertise to do things without adult help. These activities are often familiar to the children from their home environment and so help them to feel comfortable when they are settling into the nursery environment. Practitioners also have opportunities to create new activities when they observe children struggling with muscle control in their fingers or hands or when they struggle with the flexibility of the wrist or hand/eye coordination.

Everyday activities which can be encouraged at home to encourage all of the above include:

• Putting on and removing shoes and socks independently
• Buttoning clothing
• Hanging items on a peg
• Putting on and removing a coat
• Zipping a coat