Serving Seniors with Excellence, Love and Dignity.
Radiant Care is a faith-based, charitable not-for-profit organization offering a full continuum of seniors housing and care at two sites in the Niagara Region.
Get Involved in Montessori
Ways to get involved in Montessori at Radiant Care
We invite all of our staff, families, and visitors to participate in Montessori. We would love to see you use one of our Montessori kits or activity areas with your loved one on your next visit. You may find that this is some of the most meaningful time you spend here!
Browse our website to learn more about Montessori and how to have a meaningful visit with someone who has dementia, donate money or requested items to our Montessori programming, visit or volunteer, or ask us about other ways you can get involved.
Get Involved
Contribute
Give a Gift
At Radiant Care, we have a “Gift Tree” on which you will find tags indicating a variety of items that would be great additions to our Montessori program. If you are looking to provide Radiant Care with a gift, simply select one of these tags or view the list below and then find/purchase the item listed and drop it off to our Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor.
Donate Money
The Radiant Care Foundation serves to Open Doors for Seniors. One of the ways we do this is through our Montessori programming. Monetary donations help us create a home-like environment and offer life-enriching programs and activities based on individual resident/tenant abilities, interests, and needs.
Donate
Volunteer
Become a friendly visitor! Many residents and tenants enjoy spending one-on-one time with a friendly visitor volunteer. As part of your volunteer training, you will learn more about our Montessori philosophy of care and how you can implement it in your volunteer role. Contact our Volunteer Coordinator to learn more.
Become a VolunteerHow to Have a Meaningful Visit with Someone with Dementia
What Should I Say?
Avoid declarative questions:
- Do you remember me?
- Did you go to exercises today?
- Who is this in your picture?
Use open conversation starters
- Nice to see you today.
- How has your day been?
- Would you tell me about this picture?
Find the common ground
Residents’ Expectations
- To feel loved and accepted
- To be touched
- To participate & be engaged
- To make choices
- To have Meaning & Purpose
Visitors' Expectations
- To support
- Companionship and love
- Successful interaction
- Acknowledgment
- To have meaning & purpose
Successful visits
- It’s your presence that matters. Enjoy the company
- Speak slowly. Large amounts of information at once is overwhelming for anyone!
- Remember that although their cognitive abilities have altered, their feelings are still intact
- Don’t argue. Remember, it doesn’t matter if their facts are not correct
- Don’t rush! Enjoy each moment, including the quiet moments and just being there with them
Tips & Techniques
- Smile and make eye contact. Your loved one relies on body language for communication
- Keep your sentences short & simple. Don’t quiz or ask pointed questions. Keep discussions open-ended and go with the flow
- Don't rush your loved one. Give ample time. They might have difficulty finding the right words. Gently queue them or supply a word
- Use photo or picture books to reminisce. Write down memories and stories
- Work on a simple task together, and don’t emphasize the outcome
Example activities
- Mental exercises (word & brain teasers, matching games, puzzles)
- Photo reminisce (albums, picture books, google street view)
- Sorting activities (buttons, coins, by colour etc.)
- Polishing silver
- Washing dishes
- Cleaning rooms/vacuuming
- Folding laundry/baby clothes
- A leisurely stroll
- Music (listening, playing instruments, singing, dancing)
We really truly care
Our Montessori Philosophy of Care places emphasis on creating an enriched, prepared environment where individuals are engaged in life with meaning and purpose, and function is enhanced.
Learn more about how Montessori benefits our residents, tenants, families, volunteers, and staff.
Who benefits
Nicole Phillip Personal Support Worker
Montessori is having the ability to deal with different stages of dementia and different personality traits. It has taught me different techniques on how to help the residents.
Gail Starshuk Tenant
I felt happy again inside. I'm starting to get to know people and know names. It was hard at first when I moved in here, I was nervous. The staff helped me connect.
Lillian Bergen & dog Randy Dog Therapy Volunteer
I really find value in seeing the older people interact with Randy. We bring smiles and laughter to the residents! It brings brightness to their lives. When the residents interact with Randy it gives them a sense of love and acceptance.
Beverly Pepin Registered Nurse
Montessori activities are meaningful to residents because they are used to doing them their whole life. It's natural for them. Residents are more at peace and more comfortable living in their homes.
Anne Friesen Tenant
I have been making toques for about 20 years. I brought this here and we got some of the ladies involved. They weren't sure at first if they could do it, but we taught them. We have made thousands over the years and sent them to those in need.
Roseli May Dietary Aide
I've been here for 20 years and to see the residents not just sitting around, but engaging in meaningful activities is great. I love seeing how much the residents enjoy the activities. Montessori training makes me more patient instead of just doing it all for them. Montessori training helped me understand what the residents are going through.
