Montessori-based activities for long-term care residents with advanced dementia: Effects on engagement and affect

Sixteen residents in long-term care with advanced dementia (14 women; avera ge age = 88) showed significantly more constructive engagement (defined as motor or verbal behaviors in response to an activity), less passive engagem ent (defined as passively observing an activity), and more pleasure while p articipating in Montessori-based programming than in regularly scheduled ac tivities programming. Principles of Montessori-based programming, along wit h examples of such programming, are presented. Implications of the study an d methods for expanding the use of Montessori-based dementia programming ar e discussed.