Building stimulating environments from a Montessori perspective in the prosthetic care of the frail elderly

Abstract

Environmental enrichment (EE) improves cognitive functions in senile dementia, providing beneficial effects on behavior management in daily activities, reducing anxiety, and enhancing various types of memory. Methods of environmental enrichment (EE), such as the Montessori Method (Montessori Assessment System - MAS), can produce extremely significant effects on the progression of dementia in the elderly and improve their quality of life. Utilizing the MAS paradigm, focused on creating a complex and particularly stimulating environment, has demonstrated notable engagement and effective, significant results in improving daily functioning in elderly residents of nursing homes affected by cognitive decline. The contribution aims to offer some reflections on the possibility of implementing the MAS in the design of educational services to sensitively stimulate the sensory, cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of elderly individuals suffering from dementia.