Success story

Poppy Montessori Dementia Day Care, Tokyo

Anne Kelly of Elder Care Excellence International partnered with Tulip Montessori School in Tokyo to establish Poppy Montessori Dementia Day Care. Beside the school, it creates a unique intergenerational care model.

Staff and elders together at Poppy Montessori Dementia Day Care in Tokyo.

World-first Montessori dementia care accreditation

The challenge

While Montessori philosophy has been successfully applied to early childhood education worldwide, applying these principles to dementia and aged care was largely unexplored at the time. The question was: could Montessori methods genuinely improve outcomes for people living with dementia in Japan?

Christina Harlamb and Anne Kelly meeting with the Poppy team in Tokyo.

The solution

Poppy was established as a purpose-built Montessori dementia day care centre, implementing:

  • Person-centred care based on Montessori principles of respect and autonomy
  • Specially designed environments that support independence and reduce confusion
  • Meaningful, engaging activities matched to individuals' abilities and interests
  • Intergenerational care opportunities with children from Tulip Montessori School
  • Professional staff trained in Montessori dementia care philosophy and techniques
A child and an elder working on a puzzle together at Poppy.

Historic achievement

Christina Harlamb led the accreditation process, and Poppy became the first aged care provider in the world to receive accreditation under the Montessori for Dementia, Disability and Ageing (MDDA) Accreditation Program. This represents a landmark achievement in validating Montessori principles for dementia care at an international level.

Anne Kelly and Christina Harlamb with Poppy Day Care director Mrs Yamamoto and translator Takako.

Outcomes & impact

The accreditation was only the beginning. In everyday practice, Poppy proved that Montessori principles can be adapted across cultures, enrich the lives of older adults and children alike, and sustain a person-centred model of dementia care that organisations anywhere can learn from.

Cultural adaptation

Montessori principles were successfully adapted to the Japanese context.

Intergenerational benefit

The intergenerational programme benefits both older adults and children.

Person-centred excellence

Demonstrated excellence in person-centred dementia care delivery.

Sustainable model

A sustainable operational model proving the viability of Montessori aged care.

International standard

Set the international standard for Montessori dementia care excellence.

Bring Montessori dementia care to your organisation

Poppy shows what's possible when world-leading expertise meets local commitment. We partner with aged care providers to adapt Montessori principles to their own context—through training, environment design, and consultancy.

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