LifeHOUSE's Montessori-Based Dementia Programming(R) Launches in Grand Rapids
New Patient-Centered Approach Helps People With Alzheimer's and Their Families Effectively Cope With Cognitive Challenges
GRAND RAPIDS, MI--(Marketwire - Dec 5, 2012) - LifeHOUSE Whispering Woods Assisted Care Facility invites the public to an open house to introduce its new Montessori-Based Dementia Programming® to family and caregivers.
The open house is at Whispering Woods, on Thurs. Dec. 6, from 2-6 pm, at 3962 Whispering Way SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. (Southwest of Burton/East Paris intersection.)
Montessori is best known as an educational approach developed by Maria Montessori and is used at an estimated 20,000 elementary and secondary schools worldwide.
Dr. Cameron Camp, Ph.D., Director of Research and Development with the Center for Applied Research in Dementia, has conducted research on interventions for persons with dementia and memory disorders for over 25 years. He recognized the potential that Montessori-based methods could provide to individuals coping with dementia.
Camp's innovative approach focuses on the unique strengths and interests of each person and makes use of guided repetition, task breakdown, and progression from simple to complex tasks. His program has gained momentum throughout Europe, and is now gaining attention in the United States.
Studies have shown that Montessori-based treatments result in significantly more constructive engagement, less passive engagement, and more apparent enjoyment of activities, when compared to more conventional dementia interventions.
"We want to help people remain as independent as possible, and we want to be sure people are treated with the respect that they deserve," says Daniel Charpentier, Vice President of Operations for LifeHOUSE. "Montessori Dementia treatment helps us accomplish these goals in an area of rehabilitation where many struggle to retain hope."
LifeHOUSE Health Services focuses on bringing innovative and personalized wellness solutions to residents of its twenty-four assisted living and skilled nursing facilities throughout Michigan, Illinois, and California. For more than two decades, Whispering Woods has served over 100 community members, providing independent living, assisted living, and memory care throughout its eight-building campus.
