Evidence-based practice recommendations for working with individuals with dementia: Montessori-based interventions

The Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences (ANCDS), the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), its Special Interest Division 2 (SID-2: Neurophysiology and Neurogenic Speech and Language Disorders), and the Veterans Administration (VA) collaborated to establish evidence-based practice guidelines to be used by speech-language pathologists who work with individuals with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT). A writing committee was formed that generated a technical report with evidence tables based on a systematic review and classification of the literature related to use of direct and indirect interventions with individuals who have DAT. In this clinical report, the level of scientific evidence related to Montessori-based interventions for persons with AD and related dementias is examined, with findings and recommendations summarized. The five studies reviewed were judged to provide Class II and Class III evidence to support the use of Montessori-based interventions for persons with dementia. This article contains information about the characteristics of study participants, types of Montessori-based interventions implemented, outcomes of the interventions, methodological limitations, recommendations for clinical practice, and ideas for future research directions.