Lyle Weinstein, Author at Montessori Alzheimers Project • Page 6 of 7

July 27, 2017

Montessori Dementia Symposium Prague 2017

The conference included 390 participants from many different parts of the world. With the exception of our presentation, the program focused on the work different people are doing working with dementia patients in facilities.

Our presentation on how to speak to persons with dementia was very well received. The feedback was that it gave concrete guidance. We had several private conversations with participants dealing with dementia in the family. As always, I asked how many people attending had dementia in the family. At this conference, about 1/3 of the people raised their hands.

People are interested in learning more of our work, and we are interested in putting more out there.

The long and the short of it is that Montessori pedagogy is being applied successfully for the benefit of persons with dementia in more and more places. This is wonderful news.

July 21, 2017

Update on Presentations

Our first public presentation of the Montessori Alzheimers Project was a great success. We presented at the Montessori Institute of San Diego. Thank you Greg for arranging it and thank you Silvia, founder of MISD, for hosting the event. In this quintessential Montessori setting, 1/3 of the participants had experienced the impact of Alzheimers in their family, another 1/3 knew individuals and/or caregivers dealing with it.

The questions during and after the presentation were direct, personal and important. We were honored to have been able to initiate bringing our work to the public at MISD.

We are heading to Prague to present at the quadrennial International Montessori Conference. Our presentation is on the 26th of July. Interest is running high, and the organizers have changed to a larger venue to accommodate it.

April 24, 2017

我们应如何与痴呆症患者交谈

在－般人与人问之对话时,我们必须有些基本的假设与认识.最基本的假设与认识就是我们知道我们的”身份”和”地位.”比如:我最少知道你是谁(你是聴众之－员)和我现在在温市或澳大利亚悉尼.然而对于痴呆症患者,对这些基本的认识也不－定有. 那么，这是什么意思？这意味着我们必须重新训练我们的言语习惯，以更清楚地沟通，更深入地倾听，记住我们交谈是用言语和我们的”身体言语”(动态).  我们需要认识到我们给他人说话的线索是重要的。如果我在我的声音和在谈话姿势中有些恐慌，比如当我担心你是否记得我，一般痴呆症患者对恐慌是有高度敏感的.这种恐慌其实是基于我们自己的需要，而不是你所爱的人的需要. 其实我们是在追求－种保证–我们所爱的人还记得我们是谁,我们希望这痴呆症患者的病还没有剥夺他们对我们的联系. 如果我们可以能超越我们的个人需要去支持我们所爱的人,我们能达到一种为了我们的亲人的福祉的力量.回到主题, 举一个简单例子，一个亲人访问他们有痴呆症患者的父母. 第一个选择是走进去，问“你还记得我的名字吗？” 第二个选择是走进去说 “嗨爸爸，这是你的儿子, 亚平仔.” 第一个是测试会给病者－种被考验的恐慌，第二个是简单的关系陈述，不需要对你所爱的人去感受到面对考试的挑战. 哪一个比较合适呢？

March 23, 2017December 6, 2018

Bienvenidos a Nuestro Hogar

Nuestra casa puede parecer un poco diferente de como solía verse. La hemos cambiado para hacer nuestra convivencia con _____________más alegre y cordial. __________ se encuentra en la fase inicial de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Al realizar estos cambios en nuestra casa, podemos apoyar los esfuerzos de _____________ para permanecer aquí, feliz y segur(a), en contacto con buenos recuerdos y creando otros nuevos.

Por favor usa una etiqueta con tu nombre. Es posible que ________ no siempre la necesite, pero siempre es útil. Con una sonrisa, di tu nombre y cual es tú relación con el (ella). Un simple “Hola ________, soy___________, tu____________” es todo lo que se necesita. Esto le dará a _________ un claro punto de referencia que genera un gran inicio en la visita.

Podrás percatarte de ciertas señales en la casa: fotos de lo que hay en la alacena (como platos) o detrás de las puerta (del baño). Con estas señales _______ tendrá el apoyo en casa para sentirse más seguro(a) con nosotros y más tranquilo (a).

Es muy útil realizar tareas cotidianas y juegos conjuntamente. Aquí hay una lista de cosas que disfrutamos hacer con __________________(ejemplos: jugar cartas como “vete a pescar” o ———–, jardinería, escuchar y cantar canciones antiguas juntos, ver álbumes de fotos). Claro que el solo hecho de sentarse tomados de la mano o caminar juntos también es maravilloso.

También tenemos un manual del Programa Montessori de Alzheirmer que siempre pueden hojear para obtener consejos útiles de como caminar, jugar, cantar y hacer todo tipo de actividades con _____________.

Aunque las cosas no son exactamente iguales a cómo eran antes, no tiene que ser totalmente distintas. Existe una constante – nuestro incondicional cariño y amor. Recuerda que bondad amorosa facilita cualquier dificultad.

No dudes en pedirme consejos para hacer las visitas especiales para ambos, tú y _____

De nuevo gracias, y bienvenido a nuestra casa

February 27, 2017February 27, 2017

On Speaking with Dementia Patients

When we speak to another person, we operate on certain basic assumptions of understanding. The most fundamental assumptions have to do with understanding our identity and place in the world. However, for the dementia patient, the usual confidence one has about these things is undermined. So, what does that mean? It means that we must retrain our speech habits to communicate more clearly, to listen more deeply, and to remember that we speak with words and with our body.

Remembering the power of cues in the environment, we need to recognize the cues that we give to others in speaking. If I speak to you with a certain level of panic in my voice and posture, such as panic that arises when I worry about whether or not you remember me, that panic is what an AD patients keys on. Remember that this kind of panic is really based on our own needs, not the needs of your loved one. We want to reassure ourselves that our loved one remembers who we are as well as who we are to them. It is seeking confirmation that the illness has not stripped away their understanding of our connection.

But really, if we are there to support our loved one, the power we can access as caregivers is based on stepping beyond our personal needs for the well being of our loved ones, Returning to the theme of cuing for supporting your loved one, take the simple example of a child visiting their parent with AD. One option is to walk in and ask “do you remember my name?” A second option would be to walk in and say, “ Hi Dad, it is your son, Lyle.” The first is a test, the second is a simple statement of relationship that requires no conceptual assessment on the part of your loved one.