“Implementation of the Montessori Method and Its Impact on the Cognitive and Emotional Well-Being of Institutionalized Older Adults (January–March 2026)”
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/asce.v5i2.967Keywords:
Montessori method; cognitive stimulation; older adults; depression; institutionalized elderly.Abstract
With ageing, cognitive decline and depressive symptoms become more frequent, and for people living in residential care this often weighs more heavily on their autonomy and quality of life. The Montessori method, a non-pharmacological and person-centered option, can be used to stimulate both cognitive and emotional functioning. On that basis, this study set out to see what changed in the cognitive and emotional well-being of institutionalized older adults after a Montessori-based activity program. The design was quantitative and pre-experimental, with a single group measured before and after, carried out at the Kuya S.A.S. geriatric care center in Quito, Ecuador, between January and March 2026. Twelve people aged 65 or overtook part. Cognition was measured with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and mood with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15); the two time points were compared using the Wilcoxon test. Cognition improved significantly: the adjusted MMSE median moved from 21 to 24 points (Z = −3.176; p = 0.001). Depressive symptoms also dropped significantly, with the GDS-15 median falling from 7 to 4 points (Z = −3.213; p = 0.001). Correlations between before and after were very high on both scales (MMSE: r = 0.961; GDS-15: r = 0.977; p < 0.001). Taken together, the results point to Montessori activities as a useful support for the cognitive and emotional well-being of this group, within a person-centered approach to geriatric care.
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