How We Can Create Joy and Purpose by Changing the Environment

When Dr. Maria Montessori opened the first Casa dei Bambini (“Children’s House”) in 1907, it wasn’t a school. It was a housing project in a poor district of Rome, where children were brought while their parents worked. The goal was simple: keep them safe, contained, and out of trouble.

The children had never been to school before, and most came from illiterate families. They were considered unteachable—wild, disruptive, and beyond reach. The environment reflected that belief: bare walls, little stimulation, and constant supervision.

But when Montessori entered that space, she didn’t see misbehavior. She saw unmet needs.

She changed the environment—offering beauty, order, real materials, and the freedom to explore. She gave the children small tables and chairs that fit their bodies, shelves where they could reach materials themselves, and meaningful work that made them feel capable and proud. Within weeks, everything transformed. The so-called “difficult” children became focused, curious, and joyful.

The problem had never been the children—it was the environment that failed to recognize their humanity.

From Children to Elders: A Familiar Challenge

Over a century later, we face a similar challenge in dementia care. Too often, our environments and systems still operate from a mindset of "containment" rather than "empowerment." We keep people safe—but at the cost of freedom, purpose, and dignity.

We supervise, medicate, and manage, but rarely invite our loved ones to live. The very spaces meant to protect them often remove the things that make life worth living: independence, privacy, meaningful roles, accomplishment, and connection.

Montessori’s lesson from that first Casa is just as urgent today:

When we change the environment, we change the person’s experience of themselves.

Montessori-inspired dementia care begins with this belief: Every individual, no matter their cognitive ability, deserves to live in an environment that sparks curiosity, invites participation, and affirms their worth.

More Than Just Safe: A Life That is Well-Lived

In many care settings, dementia is often viewed only as a medical condition. Success is measured by safety, medication compliance, and a lack of incidents. But a life that is merely safe is not the same as a life that is well-lived.

People living with dementia have the same human needs as everyone else: to be loved and to love in return, to contribute, to feel competent, to make choices, to be respected, and to belong. These are not luxuries; they are the foundations of human dignity.

When these needs are unmet, our loved ones don’t just become “behavioral challenges”—they become lonely, disoriented, and unseen.

Montessori-based dementia care recognizes that every “behavior” is communication. A person pacing might be seeking purpose. Someone calling out might be longing for connection. Agitation may reflect frustration, confusion, or a loss of control. When we see these expressions not as problems to suppress but as messages to understand, we begin to honor the person’s humanity.

Our Mission: Building the "Prepared Environment"

Dr. Montessori’s "prepared environment"—one that anticipates a person's needs—is our design inspiration. We are passionate about creating beautiful, dignified tools that remove obstacles and provide cues for independence. Each product is designed to help meet those core human needs for purpose, engagement, and belonging before they can become frustrated.

We transform the care environment from reactionary and passive to proactive and engaging, helping you and your loved ones focus on what matters.

• To Support Independence: An activity should be an invitation, not a task. We incorporate invitational signage and packaging into our engagement products. When an elder passes by, the beautiful, clear design is intended to pique their interest, welcoming them to explore the activity on their own terms, often without the need for a caregiver's prompting.
• To Promote Dignity: This is our non-negotiable. You will never find stigmatizing language like "dementia," "Alzheimer's," or "elders" on any of our product boxes. We avoid childish themes, ensuring every product looks and feels as premium, adult-appropriate, and dignified as the person using it.
• To Create a Flow of Engagement: We design for that beautiful state of "flow" by building multiple ways to engage in a single activity. This allows people with different preferences and functional abilities to enjoy an activity to their fullest. We also provide clear, step-by-step guidance for caregivers, making it easier to connect and support your loved one when needed

We invite you to join our journey as we build meaningful products, one step at a time. Join the Aegeliss family. Sign up for our newsletter to receive inspiring stories, practical caregiver resources, and a first look at the new products in the pipeline.