Alzheimer's patients statistics globally

The prevalence of Alzheimer’s has increased in the last few years. Currently, more than 44 million people are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease worldwide, and this condition commonly targets adults aged 65 or above.

Memory loss is the cardinal feature of Alzheimer’s, and 70% of Alzheimer’s patients report dementia or memory loss.

Thereby, physicians and healthcare practitioners across the globe have introduced different methods to normalize life for Alzheimer’s patients and make them able to do daily life tasks efficiently, and the Montessori method is one of them. 

It has shown positive results and is applied to manage Alzheimer’s disease in various settings. So, we will look into the benefits of Montessori for Alzheimer’s patients here. 

What is the Montessori Method?

It is important to understand the Montessori method before jumping to its benefits. You may hear about the Montessori method which is commonly practiced to engage kids physically and mentally during their early childhood.

However, when this method is appointed to help people with dementia and to educate their caregivers, it turns out to be very effective and successful. This approach is similar to that applied for children and its main goal is to activate Alzheimer’s patients’ senses. Thereby, it helps people with dementia to connect with their outer world.

The principle of the Montessori method is based on activating the sensory experience of Alzheimer’s patients by engaging them in physical activities and art therapy. Additionally, the Montessori method induces positive emotions in people with Alzheimer’s that are lost long.

How to present Montessori Method to patients?

The Montessori method consists of various activities that are designed on the behalf of patients’ current mental status alongside their interests. 

Following is some of the common Montessori activities that can help people with advanced dementia:

1. People with Alzheimer’s are most likely to feel pleasure while holding dolls and their clothes. Furthermore, this activity increases the comfort of Alzheimer’s patients.
   
   
2. If a person with Alzheimer’s enjoys doing cooking or baking, then caregivers give them ingredients to practice their hobby. Remember to maintain a safe kitchen environment with Alzheimer's patients as they can harm themselves and others.
   
   
3. A basket of clean socks can be given to Alzheimer’s patients. So, they can match socks of the same color and fold them.
   
   
4. Folding towels of different textures also stimulate their sensory system.
   
   
5. Activities such as playing simple board games or sorting out puzzles increase the sense of accomplishment in people having dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The Benefits of Montessori for Alzheimer’s Patients

There are many advantages of the Montessori method that have helped a lot of patients  with Alzheimer’s. Some of those advantages are discussed below:

• Anti-anxiety Approach  

People with Alzheimer’s often feel anxious when they are not able to remember important details of their lives. So, by performing Montessori activities, their minds associate with new information and shift from anxious thoughts. These activities also build new pathways in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients which decreases their anxiety and give them tools to cope with their anxious feelings. 

• Lessen repetitive questioning 

Alzheimer’s patients have the habit of asking the same questions again and again. For instance, they will ask you about the time of day repetitively because their minds are unable to retain that information. 

When people with Alzheimer’s are doing Montessori activities, they are engaging themselves in a new environment which tends to transform their focus from previous habits. Thus, Montessori methods reduce their repetitive questioning. 

• Decreases constant need for attention 

People who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s may harm themselves so they need constant attention from their caregivers for basic tasks such as eating or cleaning. When people with dementia are practicing Montessori activities, they are using their remaining strengths and capabilities. The latter helps them to improve their quality of life and they demand less attention than before. 

• Boost Self-esteem 

People having Alzheimer’s find it difficult to do regular tasks which decreases their self-esteem, and they get easily angered or frustrated. When these people engage themselves in the Montessori method, they test their abilities by doing simple chores. 

Moreover, caregivers at these facilities also encourage Alzheimer’s patients during the whole process. The latter boost self-esteem of Alzheimer’s patients and they show interest while participating in everyday chores. 

• Increases sense of accomplishment 

As already told above, people living with Alzheimer’s often depend on others for their basic needs and require constant attention. At Montessori, they participate in various activities to stimulate with retaining senses. And upon the completion of specific activity, their sense of accomplishment increases which allows them to engage in exercises that are above their comfort zones.

• Using Motor skills 

People living with dementia or Alzheimer’s don’t take part in physical activities due to their health conditions. For instance, they are prone to falls because of their disturbed balance. But at Montessori, a caregiver is always available to look after Alzheimer’s patients while they are performing exercises such as baking or folding clothes which enhance their fine motor skills. 

• Enhance family interaction 

People with Alzheimer’s suffer while connecting with their family members and empathizing with other feelings. So, when they are working with the Montessori method, they communicate with fellow patients and different caregivers that maintain their communication skills. This approach also helps Alzheimer’s patients to interact more with their households. 

• Activate all senses

The Montessori method doesn’t stimulate any particular sense of Alzheimer’s patients, but it activates all five senses of sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch in these patients which helps them to recover their remaining capabilities. The latter generates positive emotions in those patients which improves their overall wellbeing.

The Bottom Line

The Montessori method not only improves the quality of life of Alzheimer’s patients but also retain their mental health. Therefore, many Seniors care centers across the world are introducing this healthcare method within their clinical setting.