Montessori Based Activities for Dementia

Effects of a Culturally Adapted Group Based Montessori Based Activities on Engagement and Affect in Chinese Older People With Dementia

The objectives of this study are to examine the feasibility of a culturally-adapted group-based Montessori Method for Dementia program in Chinese community and examine its effects on engagement and affect in community-dwelling people with dementia.

People who were aged 60 years or over and with mild to moderate dementia were recruited from six community centres and three care homes. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group to attend the Montessori-based activities or the comparison group to attend the conventional group activities for one hour twice per week over eight weeks. All sessions were videotaped to facilitate analysis. Observations of engagement and affect were conducted for each intervention session on the individual participant for a ten-minute period at the beginning, middle, and end of the activity in order to have observations from multiple time points. The Menorah Park Engagement Scale and the Apparent Affect Rating Scale were used to assess the engagement and affect during the activities based on observations.

The design of the Montessori Method for Dementia program covered five aspects, namely cognitive stimulation, life skills, motor movements and fitness, sensory stimulation, and socialization. Each 1-hour session included two to three activities tailored to the local cultural context.

Activities delivered regularly in the usual care, such as reading out newspapers, physical activities, and watching videos, in the 1-hour sessions.

The Montessori Method highlights the importance of considering the past experiences, identifying interests and maximizing spared capacity and abilities of each individual.

Activities delivered regularly in the usual care, such as reading out newspapers, physical activities, and watching videos, in the 1-hour sessions.

Score of Menorah Park Engagement Scale will be used to assess the level of engagement, with the minimum score of 0 and the maximum of 2, with a higher score higher level of engagement.

Score of Menorah Park Engagement Scale will be used to assess the level of engagement, with the minimum score of 0 and the maximum of 2, with a higher score higher level of engagement.

Score of Menorah Park Engagement Scale will be used to assess the level of engagement, with the minimum score of 0 and the maximum of 2, with a higher score higher level of engagement.

Score of the Apparent Affect Rating Scale will be used to assess the level of affect, with 1 (Never) to 5 (over 5 minutes), in the aspect of pleasure and interest.

Score of the Apparent Affect Rating Scale will be used to assess the level of affect, with 1 (Never) to 5 (over 5 minutes), in the aspect of pleasure and interest.

Score of the Apparent Affect Rating Scale will be used to assess the level of affect, with 1 (Never) to 5 (over 5 minutes), in the aspect of pleasure and interest.

Inclusion Criteria: with a diagnosis of dementia at a stage 3 to 5 on the global deterioration scale (GDS) Exclusion Criteria: were joining any other dementia training activities would highly likely present a hazard to others through disruptive behaviors proxy consent could not be obtained

Chan HY, Yau YM, Li SF, Kwong KS, Chong YY, Lee IF, Yu DS. Effects of a culturally adapted group based Montessori based activities on engagement and affect in Chinese older people with dementia: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Geriatr. 2021 Jan 7;21(1):24. doi: 10.1186/s12877-020-01967-0.