Now that you have access to Montessori-inspired materials aimed toward elder care, it’s important to understand the proper way to introduce these items into their environment. This involves learning how to “give a presentation,” a concept borrowed from the Montessori classroom.
In the Montessori setting, Lead Guides take on the responsibility of introducing work or materials to their students. The children are aware that they cannot engage with a particular material until it is “presented” to them by their Guide. Let’s explore three important reasons why this approach is significant:
First, the materials are designed to gradually increase in complexity as the child progresses through their time in the classroom. We don’t expect young students to tackle advanced concepts before they have built the necessary foundational skills. In an elder care environment, the same holds true. Each person has a different level of skills and we want to be sure we are simultaneously challenging them, while not introducing work that is beyond their capabilities.
Second, there is a deliberate and intentional method to presenting each work to the student. For instance, when demonstrating table scrubbing, Guides show the child the proper way to hold the brush, emphasizing points of interest such as bubbles. The sequence of actions is carefully performed from left to right and top to bottom, aligning with the child’s reading and writing habits. And presentations involve minimal verbal instruction. In elder care, being intentional in the way you deliver presentations to your elders opens up opportunities for them to practice skills they may not otherwise have the chance to. By carefully demonstrating an activity like button sorting using the pincer grip, you enable them to engage their fine motor skills, enhance hand-eye coordination, and stimulate cognitive abilities.
As Maria Montessori wisely said, “Show them how to do it and do not say a word. If you tell them, they will watch your lips move. If you show them, they will want to do it themselves.”
Last, the Guide’s role is to observe the child after delivering the presentation. Once the child receives the demonstration, they are then able to choose to use that work whenever they like. If a child encounters difficulty, such as confusion between similar sounds, the Guide does not correct them in the moment, but makes a note of it and plans to reintroduce the concept at a later time. Observation in dementia care is also critical, as mentioned above, to ensure you are challenging your elders without overwhelming them, and continuously adapting the work to meet their changing needs.
These are just a few reasons why presentations are the foundation of a Montessori classroom. However, as noted above, they are also relevant when introducing materials in elder care. By adapting these principles, we can establish a thoughtful and effective approach to introducing materials, fostering engagement, and promoting a sense of accomplishment in the elderly.
So let’s learn how to present a new activity in elder care!
- Ensure the material is prepared and ready to use
- Extend an invitation to the elder to join you in completing the work
“Good morning Alice! I am about to do leaf polishing. Would you like to join me for a presentation?” - Demonstrate the work slowly and in easily digestible steps (focus on actions instead of words wherever possible!)
- Once complete, allow the elder to complete the activity
- OBSERVE! What are they doing well? What are they struggling with? Do not correct these things in the moment but make note of them.
- Once complete, put the material back on the shelf to complete the full presentation.
- Thank the elder, “Thank you for joining me in leaf polishing, Alice! I noticed there are a lot of plants in this room that could use some polishing. This is available for you to complete anytime you will like and will be right here on the shelf.”
While group presentations can also work, whenever possible we try to give individual presentations in elder care so we can evaluate the level of difficulty they need and can focus on observing them as they learn. If they complete the material with ease, we can adapt the work to make it more challenging for them, and vice versa.
Below are five ideas for practical life work you can introduce with very little investment in material.
Ideas
- Washing leaves
- Watering plants
- Setting the table
- Polishing Silver (one of my favorites!)
- Making snacks