Glimpses of Aged Care Through a Montessori Lens, November, 2024
This book, by Anne Kelly and Susan Mayclin Stephenson, was available around the world for five days (11/8-12) as an Amazon Kindle download and was read by thousands of people. It is available as a Kindle or print on Amazon.
Every person reading this will die and, if we are lucky, we will grow old first. Unlike in many of the countries where I have been fortunate enough to work in the Montessori field, old age with all the joys and difficulties, and death, are well prepared for. Elders have a place and value and a reason to get up in the morning. In Singapore for example there is a Proximity Housing Grant which means that if one buys a house to live near one’s parent there is a $20,000 housing grant. And if living with one’s parent there is a $30,000 grant. The government has learned that there are scientific and economic benefits for this plan.
This book, based on many years of experience of two good friends, who come from two different backgrounds but have found common ground and a passion to share this wisdom, is important for the young, the middle-aged, and the elderly to read. Please share it widely.
From page 3:
The program “Montessori for Dementia, Disability and Aging” prepares one to support the quality of life for all adults, promoting the principles of dignity, meaningful engagement, and independence throughout life. There is so much excitement about this training from all over the world—east, west, north, and south—of the globe. There is a huge amount of interest in how we treat those who have lived fabulously productive lives with knowledge and respect during their final chapter of life on this earth. We want to encourage people, if this is a line of work they are interested in, to contact us.
—Lynne Lawrence, General Direct of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)
EARLIER BLOG POSTS
The creation of this book begin at a meeting in Vancouver, BC. In the picture above you can see Anne and me on the right with other Montessori friends who were speaking or attending this event arranged by neuroscientist Adele Diamond. For more information CLICK: Vancouver
To order the print book now, and access the free Kindle ebook version from November 8-12, on Amazon: CLICK: print book
TOPICS IN THIS BOOK:
—A QR Code linking to an online video interview of Anne
—Building on an individual’s strengths, needs, and interests, leads to meaningful activities and roles.
—The use of external memory aids is vitally important to support people day to day.
—Orientating information is reassuring and important.
—A diagnosis of dementia should not mean losing all of one’s life roles.
—The importance of food
—Putting dignity into the dining experience
—Early planning gives people choice. One of the reasons why early diagnosis is important.
—It can be the small things that matter—the difference between dignity and despair.
—Acknowledging the need, and respecting the person, should underpin any action you take.
—There’s a place for everything and everything in its place, but does it work for the person who uses it?
—People living with dementia need time to process information.
—Sometimes the ‘why’ of agitation lies in simple things—it’s not just because the person has dementia.
—Animals can be valued and loved as much as family.
—It’s the present moment that counts.
—People can still want to be lovers, partners, grandparents and friends.
—Knitting together the scattered threads of conversation to always keep the person with dementia in the picture.
—A person living with dementia has the right to take risks.
—The final journey
—They will never forget how they felt, though they may forget who you are and what you said.
—Please remember my wishes . . . (Anne’s wish list, just in case. Something for all of us to think about.)
—Human Needs and Tendencies at the end of life (Montessori perspective)
—Exploration
—Orientation
—Independence
—Repetition
—Self-perfection
—Communication
—Concentration
When a dear friend of mine, Hilla Patell, was spending the last months of her life at home in Oxford, England I sent her a card of this image which she kept always in sight, inspired by the story. Here it is, from the pages of the book:
In 2003, traveling from Kathmandu to Lhasa, Tibet, three friends and I stopped in Gangka village to see the small temple created in the famous Namkading cave where the Tibetan philosopher Milarepa had spent many years of his life in the eleventh century. An elderly blind woman was waiting outside the entrance for someone to get the key from one of the two monks who were caretakers of this site. When the door was unlocked she entered with us and walked confidently to the large prayer wheel which she turned slowly while whispering the Tibetan prayer for the happiness for all sentient beings. This was her work, her reason to get up each morning, her value to the community. As we left, she took a piece of dried yak cheese from her pocket and handed it to me in gratitude for helping her fulfill her need to be useful and to help others. The painting shown on the cover of this book was a result of this experience.
To order cards or prints of this image CLICK: Susan’s art
Blessings,
Susan
Home page, CLICK: Susan
To see other books in this series, CLICK: Books