The Ridge Pinehurst Achieves Bronze Level Certification as a Montessori Inspired Lifestyle® Community

The community joins an exclusive group of credentialed senior living communities that have implemented a revolutionary Montessori-based approach to memory care.

LAKEWOOD, CO, UNITED STATES, August 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Ridge Pinehurst team is so very proud to be recognized with a Bronze-Level credential from the Center for Applied Research in Dementia (CARD) for its commitment to creating a Montessori Inspired Lifestyle^® (MIL) for residents living with memory impairment. Even more significantly, The Ridge Pinehurst is one of only two communities in the state of Colorado to earn this credential, making this achievement a meaningful distinction for our community and team.

The MIL program was created after one of its founders, Dr. Cameron Camp, adapted Dr. Maria Montessori’s principles for older adults with dementia. Guided by CARD, staff learned how to implement the Montessori principles of equality, dignity, and respect into their community. Staff were trained to empower residents with memory impairment to be as independent as possible.

This recognition reflects the dedication to fostering an environment where dignity, independence, purpose and connection are at the heart of everyday life. It also represents an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to providing thoughtful, person-centered care and creating opportunities for residents to thrive.

“At its core, Montessori is about an individualized approach to care that honors residents and what they have done in their lifetime, and reflects the value of their contributions and activities,” says Penelope Peery, Vice President of Clinical Services. “Residents choose their activities, meals and schedules—so it’s somewhat self-directed and very comforting to them.”

The approach focuses on what residents can do rather than what they cannot. Staff are trained to recognize and build upon each resident’s strengths, create environments that support independence and provide purposeful activities and meaningful roles within the community. By putting these principles into practice, The Ridge Pinehurst strives to create an environment where residents can participate, contribute and experience a greater sense of purpose in everyday life.

“The program is wholistic, calming and social,” continues Peery. “It helps our staff and families because they spend less time telling residents what to avoid for their protection, and more time supporting them in activities that engage their five senses and tap into those long-term memories. This program fits hand in glove with The Ridge bedrock values because it honors residents’ lives and the wonderful things they achieved in their lifetime. It epitomizes our value of ‘Yes, you can.’”

The team at The Ridge Pinehurst is devoted to building a Montessori Inspired Lifestyle^® (MIL) for their community, earning them a Bronze Level credential. The MIL program was created by the Center for Applied Research in Dementia (CARD) after one of its founders, Dr. Cameron Camp, adapted Dr. Maria Montessori’s principles for older adults with dementia. Guided by CARD, staff learned how to implement the Montessori principles of equality, dignity, and respect into their community. Staff were trained to empower residents with memory impairment to be as independent as possible. This is achieved through tapping into each resident’s remaining strengths, designing environments they can thrive in, and helping them find purposeful activities and meaningful roles within their community.

Communities effectively using Montessori principles benefit from healthier and happier residents, fewer drugs, fewer responsive behaviors, more satisfied families and better staffing and census (Witt-Hoblit, Miller, & Camp, 2016).

Bronze Level organizations have resident-led committees, multidisciplinary Learning Circles, effective signage and environmental cues and a system for residents to volunteer for purposeful community services activities, among many other milestones.

About The Ridge Senior Living:
For nearly ten years, the award-winning communities of The Ridge Senior Living have served Salt Lake City and Denver area older adults and their families with quality care from its independent living, assisted living and memory support experiences. The Ridge communities are privately owned and purposely designed to reflect the best of its local surroundings and to become a seamless expression of fthe land they live on. For more information, visit https://theridgeseniorliving.com.

Robert Yagmin
PSPR
+1 913-908-0028
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