MONTESSORI FOR SENIORS:
The Montessori Method is renown nationally and internationally, but always as a philosophy and curriculum for children. Recently the Montessori focus has shifted to the Senior. The Montessori philosophy regards everyone respectfully, and each person, at any stage in his or her life, lends a significant contribution to society while seeming to serve oneself. From this persp
ective the senior resident is always respected and regarded as a contributor, no matter how small the contribution. Another Montessori concept is individualization – each person has unique interests and skills. Therefore, each person determines what they wish to do and for how long they wish to do it. There is a “Schedule of the Day” that invites active participation, however, the activities within the schedule can be shortened or lengthened, or not engaged in at all. The development and exercise of the will is yet another Montessori concept which addresses élan vitale – the inner joy and exuberance of being alive. In young children supporting the child’s appropriate expression of élan vitale is achieved through daily living activities. For the senior the maintenance of élan vitale is through the same means. The daily activities of care of self and of care of the environment engages the senior to the full extent of their capacity. The Montessori curriculum finds its foundation in the philosophic tenets of respect, of individualization, and of supporting élan vitale. Neurology plays an important role in the bridge between the Montessori philosophy and the Montessori curriculum. While the young child may be creating neural pathways in the brain, the senior is maintaining those neural pathway connections. Whether creating or maintaining neural pathways repetition is considered critical. The human being must repeat activities in order to keep the pathways “firing” efficiently and reliably. Further, the senses are the pathways to the brain throughout our lifetime. Daily sensory activities optimizes the maintenance of the brain’s neural pathways, and motor activities, which involve the peripheral nervous system, are important as the last of the memory centers to diminish. The curriculum is detailed in “Schedule of the Day”. The senses are very embedded in the daily activities, as is participation in the care of self and of care of the environment.
