One of the world’s leading Montessori experts Anne Kelly has been helping care home staff at Diagrama set the vision to become leaders in person-centred practice.

 

More than 40 staff from Diagrama’s residential services completed two days’ training in delivering the Montessori approach in a care home setting.

 

Ms Kelly, who was visiting the UK from Australia, led participants through the culture and environment adaptations that could be made in order to significantly enhance residents’ care and enable a focus on enhancing quality of life.

 

Staff learned about the impact different types of dementia have on the brain and behaviours, giving them a deeper understanding of the sensory impact and how this deterioration could be delayed through engagement with meaningful activities.

 

Staff attended from Cabrini House – Diagrama’s home for adults with learning disabilities in Orpington, Kent and from Edensor Care Centre – a home providing nursing and dementia care for the elderly in Clacton-on-Sea.

 

Diagrama Chief Executive Officer David McGuire said: “Anne has really opened everyone’s eyes to the incredible opportunity we have here to advance our homes in Clacton-on-Sea and in Orpington and become leading lights in person-centred care.

 

“It is very exciting to see what could be possible and to fully understand the positive impact this will have on our residents’ lives. We’ll be working hard over the next few months to make this a reality.”

 

The Montessori method focuses on principles of developing and retaining independence. It is more commonly associated with the care of young children and studies have found this approach can also significantly improve quality of life for people living with dementia and other brain impairments. 

 

David added: “The principles of Montessori are completely aligned with Diagrama’s methodology – where we adapt our care and our service to meet the needs of the individual. This approach requires our team to continually think out of the box to find solutions to the challenges that the people in their care may face.

 

“Advancing person-centred care is a focus across all of our services and we are always keen to hear from people who would like to join our team. We are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has experience of the Montessori way of working.”

 

If you would like to find out more about current career opportunities across Diagrama's UK services, please email HR@diagrama.org