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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Alzheimer's / November 2005Montessori Work, Intergenerational Programs Proven to Help the Elderly with Alzheimer's, Dementia
Hello, I thought you might be interested in this compilation of resources, articles I've found on the Internet, about the immediate and lasting benefits of applying Montessori principles and methods to the elderly with Alzheimer's, dementia... Please feel free to distribute / publish the links as you see fit. I am quite excited by these fascinating and encouraging articles about this refreshing, respectful, creative and common sense and truly democratic approach to the human spirit. Thank you, Aysegul ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Montessori-Based Work, Intergenerational Programs Help Elderly with Dementia, Alzheimer's: Montessori principles can help us achieve our potential at the beginning and towards the end of our life journey. (If you have any comments, suggestions, please contact me at AysegulA@aol.com ) November 1, 2005 Not too long ago some friends' parents were diagnosed with Alzheimer's. And I was recently preparing a presentation on "Montessori Education - Positive Parenting - Adlerian Psychology", so I started thinking that Montessori work could be very useful for the elderly (my daughter attends a Montessori School). And the more I thought about it, the more sense it made as Montessori approach and methods increase fine motor skills, build self-esteem in the individual through no-fail methods and its emphasis on repetition, foster concentration and independent work, among others. Some of the Montessori principles are: · Learning occurs in a cooperative atmosphere marked by social interaction and peer teaching. · A primary goal of Montessori education is to foster competent, responsible, adaptive citizens who are lifelong learners and problem solvers. · Learning takes place through the senses. Students learn by manipulating material and interacting with others. These meaningful experiences are precursors to the abstract understanding of ideas. · The individual is considered as a whole. The physical, emotional, social, aesthetic, spiritual, and cognitive needs and interests are inseparable and equally important. · Respect and caring attitudes for oneself, others, the environment, and all life are necessary. So I did a search to see whether there were any studies on this, and I came across many articles featuring Karen and Tom Brenner's - www.creativecarealternatives.com work with persons with dementia and Alzheimer's using genuine Montessori materials and principles, as well as Dr. Cameron Camp's and others' research on Montessori based approach and applications in various nursing homes across the USA with visible, immediate, positive results. For example, Truman Medical Center Lakewood in Kansas City, MO has an Intergenerational Program and a Montessori Program for Alzheimer's patients. Their web site states "Intergenerational programming is the program of the future, re-uniting two generations that have been separated for far too long." "One resident who suffers periodic bouts of delirium has been helped greatly by working with the Montessori equipment... All of her earlier agitation, fear, and sadness disappeared." (from http://www.trumed.org/ link to article http://tinyurl.com/8ldbk ) As families find themselves caring for their own parents/grandparents with various forms of dementia, Alzheimer's they may be too stressed to be able to provide a joyful, healthy environment for their own children. However, a Montessori-based approach to caring for the elderly has also been proven to enable much better inter-generational interactions. Definitely a win-win situation. "For an older person who is experiencing memory loss, either from stroke, illness or Alzheimer's disease, the use of the Montessori Method can help preserve many skills while also stimulating the mind (...) Persons with dementia may seem to be detached both physically and emotionally from their environment and the people in it. Helping older people reconnect with their environment is an important part of the Montessori approach to activities for older people. Without this sort of reconnection, people with dementia may become frustrated and agitated, even belligerent." (Montessori and Dementia: A New Vision by Tom and Karen Brenner http://tinyurl.com/alooq from Montessori International Magazine, July - September, 2005, p.38-41) One article says of this approach "So simple, It's genius" (Nursing Homes, Feb 2005) - and actually it is the same with Adlerian positive parenting: these approaches are quite similar in that they aim at encouraging the person to feel and be part of society and to become independent and self-confident as the person's need to belong and to contribute are very important. "The philosophy of the Montessori method is to create persons who are as independent as possible, able to make choices, while being treated with respect and dignity. It assumes that persons want to be independent, show the abilities they have, and learn new ones; so it offers meaningful activities in environments designed to accommodate their needs. The method works with adults who have mental and physical impairments and builds upon the older adult's remaining abilities.(...) As the aging population and the prevalence of dementia increase, facilities serving older adults need to provide improved quality programming to maintain or enhance the quality of life for these individuals. Montessori-based activity programs can serve to fill this growing need. Such programs not only provide meaningful activities but also enhance recognition and memory, as well as a sense of completion and success for dementia participants." (Janina C. Bognar, MS) This is how we should all be treated if and when the day comes - with dignity, respect and fun!. How wonderful that a person's spirit can still be encouraged to shine through these diseases. Montessori principles can indeed help us achieve our potential at the beginning and towards the end of our life journey. I sure hope this creative, respectful, common sense approach will be included at The White House Conference on Aging http://www.whcoa.gov that will be held December 11-14, 2005 in Washington, DC. So I have been writing to the members of the WHCO policy committee on this subject, requesting that this method be introduced at the Conference. "The Conference "occurs once a decade to make aging policy recommendations to the President and Congress, and to assist the public and private sectors in promoting dignity, health, independence and economic security of current and future generations of older persons." Sounds very nice but I do have to wonder why this Conference on Aging is held just once a decade, considering the average human life span... Recently I submitted this comment on the US Administration on Aging www.AOA.gov (as a search for 'Montessori' yielded 0 results): "I was rather disappointed and surprised not to find any information about Montessori based activities and the Elderly, especially Elderly with Dementia on your web site. I was sure I would find something here: Promising Practices - 39 AoA Funded Grant Projects. I'd like to draw your attention to these conclusions: "Studies have shown that Montessori-based activities, which focus on developing an individual's unique abilities, are effective in increasing engagement between nursing home residents with dementia and their caregivers." (from http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/show/NCT00079651), and, "(The Montessori) method focuses on an individual's personal strengths, preferences, and abilities to increase a person's participation in facility activities and/or personal self-care, improving their independence and self-esteem. The programming has increased the residents' participation in activities and gets high marks in staff satisfaction. (from http://www.asaging.org/)" Here are some very interesting and useful resources I've compiled from the Internet on Montessori Approach to Caring for the Elderly with Alzheimer's/Dementia, as well as sites on Montessori Education, Adlerian Psychology and Positive Parenting which all aim at encouraging the person to reach her/his potential, through a respectful, creative, positive approach: 1. Dr. Cameron Camp's publications: http://www.myersresearch.org/manuals.html - A Different Visit: Activities for Caregivers and their Loved Ones with Memory Impairments by Adena Joltin, Cameron J. Camp, Beverly H. Noble, Vincent M. Antenucci - Montessori-Based Activities for Persons with Dementia, Vol. 1 by Cameron Camp Ph.D., Cameron J. Camp Ph.D. (Vol. 2 scheduled for release in November 2005 ) Dr. Cameron's radio shows can be heard here: http://www.myersresearch.org/media.html 2. Lost & Found - By Barbara Basler, September 2005 - from http://www.aarp.org Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/8ojxm 3. Download free exercises from AARP (PDF Format) to be used with the elderly http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/longterm/alzheimer.html · Treasure Hunt http://tinyurl.com/8s7cz · Face Puzzle http://tinyurl.com/a5a4c · Food Drive http://tinyurl.com/duac8 · The Birth of the Chocolate Chip Cookie http://tinyurl.com/dqmxc · Tool Match http://tinyurl.com/bjnqq 4. Unlocking What Remains, Activities for Dementia Care - Observing Montessori-Based Principles in Action at an Alzheimer's Unit - from Nursing Homes Magazine, Feb, 2005 by Linda Zinn - Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/7evab 5. Articles and Activity Ideas from www.caregiving.com Caregiving 101 Link to articles: http://tinyurl.com/8fb43 a. Can Art Help Alzheimer's? by Denise M. Brown b. A Montessori Intervention by Tom and Karen Brenner * c. Fitness Training for the Mind by Tom and Karen Brenner d. Reading as a Memory Tool by Tom and Karen Brenner e. Spiritual Engagement - Montessori Activities by Tom and Karen Brenner * Karen Brenner, with 30+ years experience as a Montessori teacher, and her husband Tom, a gerontologist, give seminars on the application of genuine Montessori methods for persons with dementia. They may be contacted at Bren04@aol.com www.creativecarealternatives.com 6. Montessori Philosophy Enhances Quality Of Life For Persons With Dementia Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/atxfj from www.kahsa.org/ Focus, Vol 6, Issue 4, 4th Quarter 2004. 7. Montessori-Based Activities for Dementia: A Walk Down Memory Lane Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/ce2gt from http://www.vcu.edu Vol.18, No. 4, Fall 2003 - by Janina C. Bognar, M.S., a Geriatric Care Manager at JFS in Richmond, Virginia jbognar@jfsrichmond.org 8. Students Help Alzheimer's Residents Retain Skills and Memories By Kathryn Podolsky Link to article http://tinyurl.com/8s4kd from http://www.cohpa.ucf.edu/ 9. "Research to Practice" articles from http://www.k-state.edu/ - Montessori Techniques Piloted in Special Care Units - Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/94zqg - Activities for Residents with Dementia Using Montessori Techniques - Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/bmf2n - From Research to Practice: Making Tasks and Daily Activities Meaningful for Residents with Alzheimer's Disease: How Can Montessori Approaches Help? by Kyle Whitfield Link to article: marep.uwaterloo.ca/PDF/summer02.pdf (p.1) 10. Montessori web sites: http://www.montessori.org http://www.amshq.org/ http://www.montessori.edu/ http://www.montessori-ami.org/ 11. Adlerian Psychology web sites: with its truly democratic approach, Adlerian psychology has a very positive, encouraging approach and draws on the patient's strengths rather than weaknesses. www.alfredadler.org http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/hstein/homepage.htm 12. Some Parenting Groups/Sites/Publications based on Positive Parenting, Adlerian Psychology, similar to the Montessori philosophy: (because we should treat our children as well as our parents, grandparents with respect and encouragement) http://www.ParentEncouragement.org (in the Washington, DC area) http://www.activeparenting.com http://www.posdis.org http://www.alyson.ca/ http://www.positivediscipline.com http://www.parentingpress.com http://www.cmtipress.com/ http://www.marcoproducts.com/fampowser.html > Hello, I thought you might be interested in this compilation nope. in the killfile with you! plonk. Hi, I found it interesting to read, but as I read, I thought that you probably never had the opportunity to work with a real person who had alzheimers. If you did, you might find that what you have suggested may not work at all with them. You see, the reasoning behind this comes from the simple fact that alzheimer patients cannot learn things anymore. In fact there is a slow and continuous "forgetting" going on, of all they have ever learned in their lives. Therefore I will reserve judgement on any of it for the time being. I respect your efforts, just would like to see it in action in real life with real people.  SignatureBest Regards, Evelyn (to reply to me personally, remove 'sox') Hello, I thought you might be interested in this compilation of resources, articles I've found on the Internet, about the immediate and lasting benefits of applying Montessori principles and methods to the elderly with Alzheimer's, dementia... Please feel free to distribute / publish the links as you see fit. I am quite excited by these fascinating and encouraging articles about this refreshing, respectful, creative and common sense and truly democratic approach to the human spirit. Thank you, Aysegul ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Montessori-Based Work, Intergenerational Programs Help Elderly with Dementia, Alzheimer's: Montessori principles can help us achieve our potential at the beginning and towards the end of our life journey. (If you have any comments, suggestions, please contact me at AysegulA@aol.com ) November 1, 2005 Not too long ago some friends' parents were diagnosed with Alzheimer's. And I was recently preparing a presentation on "Montessori Education - Positive Parenting - Adlerian Psychology", so I started thinking that Montessori work could be very useful for the elderly (my daughter attends a Montessori School). And the more I thought about it, the more sense it made as Montessori approach and methods increase fine motor skills, build self-esteem in the individual through no-fail methods and its emphasis on repetition, foster concentration and independent work, among others. Some of the Montessori principles are: · Learning occurs in a cooperative atmosphere marked by social interaction and peer teaching. · A primary goal of Montessori education is to foster competent, responsible, adaptive citizens who are lifelong learners and problem solvers. · Learning takes place through the senses. Students learn by manipulating material and interacting with others. These meaningful experiences are precursors to the abstract understanding of ideas. · The individual is considered as a whole. The physical, emotional, social, aesthetic, spiritual, and cognitive needs and interests are inseparable and equally important. · Respect and caring attitudes for oneself, others, the environment, and all life are necessary. So I did a search to see whether there were any studies on this, and I came across many articles featuring Karen and Tom Brenner's - www.creativecarealternatives.com work with persons with dementia and Alzheimer's using genuine Montessori materials and principles, as well as Dr. Cameron Camp's and others' research on Montessori based approach and applications in various nursing homes across the USA with visible, immediate, positive results. For example, Truman Medical Center Lakewood in Kansas City, MO has an Intergenerational Program and a Montessori Program for Alzheimer's patients. Their web site states "Intergenerational programming is the program of the future, re-uniting two generations that have been separated for far too long." "One resident who suffers periodic bouts of delirium has been helped greatly by working with the Montessori equipment... All of her earlier agitation, fear, and sadness disappeared." (from http://www.trumed.org/ link to article http://tinyurl.com/8ldbk ) As families find themselves caring for their own parents/grandparents with various forms of dementia, Alzheimer's they may be too stressed to be able to provide a joyful, healthy environment for their own children. However, a Montessori-based approach to caring for the elderly has also been proven to enable much better inter-generational interactions. Definitely a win-win situation. "For an older person who is experiencing memory loss, either from stroke, illness or Alzheimer's disease, the use of the Montessori Method can help preserve many skills while also stimulating the mind (...) Persons with dementia may seem to be detached both physically and emotionally from their environment and the people in it. Helping older people reconnect with their environment is an important part of the Montessori approach to activities for older people. Without this sort of reconnection, people with dementia may become frustrated and agitated, even belligerent." (Montessori and Dementia: A New Vision by Tom and Karen Brenner http://tinyurl.com/alooq from Montessori International Magazine, July - September, 2005, p.38-41) One article says of this approach "So simple, It's genius" (Nursing Homes, Feb 2005) - and actually it is the same with Adlerian positive parenting: these approaches are quite similar in that they aim at encouraging the person to feel and be part of society and to become independent and self-confident as the person's need to belong and to contribute are very important. "The philosophy of the Montessori method is to create persons who are as independent as possible, able to make choices, while being treated with respect and dignity. It assumes that persons want to be independent, show the abilities they have, and learn new ones; so it offers meaningful activities in environments designed to accommodate their needs. The method works with adults who have mental and physical impairments and builds upon the older adult's remaining abilities.(...) As the aging population and the prevalence of dementia increase, facilities serving older adults need to provide improved quality programming to maintain or enhance the quality of life for these individuals. Montessori-based activity programs can serve to fill this growing need. Such programs not only provide meaningful activities but also enhance recognition and memory, as well as a sense of completion and success for dementia participants." (Janina C. Bognar, MS) This is how we should all be treated if and when the day comes - with dignity, respect and fun!. How wonderful that a person's spirit can still be encouraged to shine through these diseases. Montessori principles can indeed help us achieve our potential at the beginning and towards the end of our life journey. I sure hope this creative, respectful, common sense approach will be included at The White House Conference on Aging http://www.whcoa.gov that will be held December 11-14, 2005 in Washington, DC. So I have been writing to the members of the WHCO policy committee on this subject, requesting that this method be introduced at the Conference. "The Conference "occurs once a decade to make aging policy recommendations to the President and Congress, and to assist the public and private sectors in promoting dignity, health, independence and economic security of current and future generations of older persons." Sounds very nice but I do have to wonder why this Conference on Aging is held just once a decade, considering the average human life span... Recently I submitted this comment on the US Administration on Aging www.AOA.gov (as a search for 'Montessori' yielded 0 results): "I was rather disappointed and surprised not to find any information about Montessori based activities and the Elderly, especially Elderly with Dementia on your web site. I was sure I would find something here: Promising Practices - 39 AoA Funded Grant Projects. I'd like to draw your attention to these conclusions: "Studies have shown that Montessori-based activities, which focus on developing an individual's unique abilities, are effective in increasing engagement between nursing home residents with dementia and their caregivers." (from http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/show/NCT00079651), and, "(The Montessori) method focuses on an individual's personal strengths, preferences, and abilities to increase a person's participation in facility activities and/or personal self-care, improving their independence and self-esteem. The programming has increased the residents' participation in activities and gets high marks in staff satisfaction. (from http://www.asaging.org/)" Here are some very interesting and useful resources I've compiled from the Internet on Montessori Approach to Caring for the Elderly with Alzheimer's/Dementia, as well as sites on Montessori Education, Adlerian Psychology and Positive Parenting which all aim at encouraging the person to reach her/his potential, through a respectful, creative, positive approach: 1. Dr. Cameron Camp's publications: http://www.myersresearch.org/manuals.html - A Different Visit: Activities for Caregivers and their Loved Ones with Memory Impairments by Adena Joltin, Cameron J. Camp, Beverly H. Noble, Vincent M. Antenucci - Montessori-Based Activities for Persons with Dementia, Vol. 1 by Cameron Camp Ph.D., Cameron J. Camp Ph.D. (Vol. 2 scheduled for release in November 2005 ) Dr. Cameron's radio shows can be heard here: http://www.myersresearch.org/media.html 2. Lost & Found - By Barbara Basler, September 2005 - from http://www.aarp.org Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/8ojxm 3. Download free exercises from AARP (PDF Format) to be used with the elderly http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/longterm/alzheimer.html · Treasure Hunt http://tinyurl.com/8s7cz · Face Puzzle http://tinyurl.com/a5a4c · Food Drive http://tinyurl.com/duac8 · The Birth of the Chocolate Chip Cookie http://tinyurl.com/dqmxc · Tool Match http://tinyurl.com/bjnqq 4. Unlocking What Remains, Activities for Dementia Care - Observing Montessori-Based Principles in Action at an Alzheimer's Unit - from Nursing Homes Magazine, Feb, 2005 by Linda Zinn - Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/7evab 5. Articles and Activity Ideas from www.caregiving.com Caregiving 101 Link to articles: http://tinyurl.com/8fb43 a. Can Art Help Alzheimer's? by Denise M. Brown b. A Montessori Intervention by Tom and Karen Brenner * c. Fitness Training for the Mind by Tom and Karen Brenner d. Reading as a Memory Tool by Tom and Karen Brenner e. Spiritual Engagement - Montessori Activities by Tom and Karen Brenner * Karen Brenner, with 30+ years experience as a Montessori teacher, and her husband Tom, a gerontologist, give seminars on the application of genuine Montessori methods for persons with dementia. They may be contacted at Bren04@aol.com www.creativecarealternatives.com 6. Montessori Philosophy Enhances Quality Of Life For Persons With Dementia Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/atxfj from www.kahsa.org/ Focus, Vol 6, Issue 4, 4th Quarter 2004. 7. Montessori-Based Activities for Dementia: A Walk Down Memory Lane Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/ce2gt from http://www.vcu.edu Vol.18, No. 4, Fall 2003 - by Janina C. Bognar, M.S., a Geriatric Care Manager at JFS in Richmond, Virginia jbognar@jfsrichmond.org 8. Students Help Alzheimer's Residents Retain Skills and Memories By Kathryn Podolsky Link to article http://tinyurl.com/8s4kd from http://www.cohpa.ucf.edu/ 9. "Research to Practice" articles from http://www.k-state.edu/ - Montessori Techniques Piloted in Special Care Units - Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/94zqg - Activities for Residents with Dementia Using Montessori Techniques - Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/bmf2n - From Research to Practice: Making Tasks and Daily Activities Meaningful for Residents with Alzheimer's Disease: How Can Montessori Approaches Help? by Kyle Whitfield Link to article: marep.uwaterloo.ca/PDF/summer02.pdf (p.1) 10. Montessori web sites: http://www.montessori.org http://www.amshq.org/ http://www.montessori.edu/ http://www.montessori-ami.org/ 11. Adlerian Psychology web sites: with its truly democratic approach, Adlerian psychology has a very positive, encouraging approach and draws on the patient's strengths rather than weaknesses. www.alfredadler.org http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/hstein/homepage.htm 12. Some Parenting Groups/Sites/Publications based on Positive Parenting, Adlerian Psychology, similar to the Montessori philosophy: (because we should treat our children as well as our parents, grandparents with respect and encouragement) http://www.ParentEncouragement.org (in the Washington, DC area) http://www.activeparenting.com http://www.posdis.org http://www.alyson.ca/ http://www.positivediscipline.com http://www.parentingpress.com http://www.cmtipress.com/ http://www.marcoproducts.com/fampowser.html I would encourage you to go to the links I've provided in my posting. This isn't just a dry, on-paper research, theory only. This is very real: the articles feature real life stories with real patients, staff, family... The consensus is that there is visible improvement of the patient with alzheimer's after practicing this methods. What I've read just amazed me, that's why I wanted to share it with you all. > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > being. I respect your efforts, just would like to see it in action in > real life with real people. in the bit I read, there was a large amount about how the students teaching the courses enjoyed it and found it valuable, almost as much on that as the patients experience. I am sure that Az patients might well find particular 'lessons' enjoyable, in the same way they might find any activity enjoyable. For example, I believe that folding blankets was mentioned as an activity and similar domestic chores have been mentioned here as being useful to pass the time, keep them occupied and happy and so forth. However, lets not pretend the patients will learn anything...(if they did, they dont have Alzheimers, by definition). SignatureTumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com >I would encourage you to go to the links I've provided in my posting. > This isn't just a dry, on-paper research, theory only. This is very [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >> being. I respect your efforts, just would like to see it in action in >> real life with real people. I have moseyed around in there a bit. It gave me a few ideas. If it makes me feel more empowered or like I am doing something to help Mom pass her time, it does make me feel better. And who cares what she learns? SignatureLesanne > in the bit I read, there was a large amount about how the students > teaching the courses enjoyed it and found it valuable, almost as much on [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] >>> being. I respect your efforts, just would like to see it in action in >>> real life with real people. < However, lets not pretend the patients will learn anything...(if they did, they dont have Alzheimers, by definition). > I am not an MD nor a psychologist but it is my understanding that Montessori based activities do not teach new 'tricks' but help retrieve what the person used to know. aysegul >I would encourage you to go to the links I've provided in my posting. > This isn't just a dry, on-paper research, theory only. This is very > real: the articles feature real life stories with real patients, staff, > family... The consensus is that there is visible improvement of the > patient with alzheimer's after practicing this methods. What I've read > just amazed me, that's why I wanted to share it with you all. Thanks for doing that. Anything that helps caregivers or alzheimer patients in any possible way, be it in therapies, medications, daycare centers, whatever....... is basically a good thing, in my book SignatureBest Regards, Evelyn (to reply to me personally, remove 'sox') >> Hi, >> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >> being. I respect your efforts, just would like to see it in action in >> real life with real people. Evelyn, those were exactly my thoughts. Gwen > Hi, > > I found it interesting to read, but as I read, I thought that you probably > never had the opportunity to work with a real person who had alzheimers. > If you did, you might find that what you have suggested may not work at > all with them. You see, the reasoning behind this comes from the simple > fact that alzheimer patients cannot learn things anymore. In fact there > is a slow and continuous "forgetting" going on, of all they have ever > learned in their lives. Therefore I will reserve judgement on any of it > for the time being. I respect your efforts, just would like to see it > in action in real life with real people. [quoted text clipped - 244 lines] > http://www.cmtipress.com/ > http://www.marcoproducts.com/fampowser.html Huh? Another Ironjustice maybe??? huh? what is ironjustice? aysegul Ironjustice is someone the keeps inexplicably posting medical abstracts about how ALZ is caused by too much iron. I put him/her/whatever in my kill file a long time ago because they never participate in the conversation of the group and never offer support or comment about anything going on. They just keep posting inexplicable medical article abstracts. I can see where Montessori methods could be helpful to Alzheimers care in some ways because it consists in giving valuable tasks, not make work to people. I've read many people hear commenting on how a loved one enjoyed doing the tasks they still could do. But with ALZ people, you have to be prepared for 2 main facts -- #1 is that they will not be able to learn and retain any new tasks if they are already at the level of requiring caregivers and #2 is that some days it will make perfect sense to them to sweep the whole floor and dump the dustpan on the kitchen table or towel off dirty dishes and put them away. But with proper supervision, it would make them feel like they are contributing which is important. If all it manages to accomplish is to provide the caregivers with a fresh outlook and help them continue to look upon the people with ALZ with dignity and respect, that's no small task either. But then, I've been a fan of Montessori methods for kids since I was a teen. Actually, I do see many aspects of Montessori principles in practice at my MIL's facility with the more alert residents. "Come help me put away the bingo pieces" "Help me arrange the chairs" I don't know that they specifically address it as a Montessori approach. It may just be what works for them. Karen > huh? what is ironjustice? > > aysegul << If all it manages to accomplish is to provide the caregivers with a fresh outlook and help them continue to look upon the people with ALZ with dignity and respect, that's no small task either.>> Karen you really pinpointed this approach... nicely put. Someone from the White House Conference on Aging sent me an email saying that my compilation is being distributed to the Conference staff. i'm happy to hear that. We should also write to our congress people since congress authorizes this conference. A conference on aging every 10 years?? should be at least every 5 ! Aysegul > << If all it manages to accomplish is to provide the caregivers with a > fresh [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Aysegul IMO, the government's approach on aging and the elderly is ludicrous. The Medicare drug plan is a good example. If someone had set out to make a plan confusing, I don't think they could have done a better job. Of course the fact that most of the people setting policy have never had to depend on government programs to get their needs met makes a huge difference. I'm not saying they need to "dumb down" the literature, it just doesn't have to be as complicated as an international trade agreement. I remember seeing an article awhile back about how proud public transportation officials in my city were that they had designated a day for them all to ride buses to work instead of driving so they could experience public transportation first hand. Duh! Maybe if we required the policy makers to volunteer for a few days at an ALZ facility, they would "get it"? Yes, every 10 years is ridiculous. I keep hoping they'll get a clue as more boomer start aging but it doesn't look encouraging so far. SignatureKaren kk5151@hotmail.com >> << If all it manages to accomplish is to provide the caregivers with a >> fresh [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] >hoping they'll get a clue as more boomer start aging but it doesn't look >encouraging so far. I think you hit a chord here. It's no secret that those who we elect to make decisions quickly become disconnected from reality, or, better put, are acclimated into the reality that is politics. In addition to all of your fine points, much of this has to do about money, or lack of it pinpointed towards Alzheimer's research, treatment, and caregiving. I have been in converations about these things with legislators who at heart agree but always come around to their number one point, "who is going to pay for it?" Tax increases are taboo to legislators - if they hope (and all do) to be re-elected. Those people on the front lines, both family and professional caregivers know many of the answers. Some of these answers seem simple to us. Redirecting just some of the funds currently available into programs that actually work seems to be a no-brainer. The amount of money wasted on poor operating systems is staggering, taking away from useful research and programs. It leads to the question - where are the priorities? That's pretty simple - the priorties are set by those who donate. For example, who is a legislator going to listen to more intently? Me as a single voice or a pharmaceutical company giving thousands, hundreds of thousands or millions to political campaings to re-elect? (and this is just one example). You are right on the money when you explain how a politician doesn't seem to "get it" until it somehow directly effects them. Nancy Reagan, who I admire for her advocacy efforts is a prime example. Who ever heard her speak of stem cell research before Ronald Reagan was diagnosed? We could probably all go on for days about our thoughts on this subject. It does give me some comfort knowing that there are indeed dedicated and committed researchers, caregivers and even some politicians. We just need a lot more. Congress can be contacted on this Legislative Action page of the AAHSA web site http://capwiz.com/aahsa/home/ You can also contact media etc. in your area through this page. ex: Action Alerts: Medicaid Asset Transfers Stop Harmful Change in Rules Click Here. Funding for Aging Services Programs Prevent Across-the-Board Cuts Click Here. Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2005 Providing Caregivers with Needed Relief Click Here. Housing & Service Needs of Seniors Interagency Council to Promote Federal Collaboration Click Here. Survey and Certification Reforms Needed Now Click Here. > huh? what is ironjustice? > > aysegul He is a troll. He goes to every newsgroup connected to an illness and tells them that their illness is caused by iron. Of course he is a wacko. Just killfile him and move on. Only way to go :-) SignatureBest Regards, Evelyn (to reply to me personally, remove 'sox') Speaking of which, does anyone know if there is a way to killfile someone if you are using Google groups. My Outlook Express got so wiggy I abandoned it for this, but I miss killfiling and the ability to ignore threads. Songbird I don't understand your question. >I don't understand your question. And I dont understand your reply. You need to configure your google groups setup so that it puts the text you are replying to, before your reply. Otherwise your reply is pointless as it has no context with it. SignatureTumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
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