At first glance, it feels like something out of The Truman Show. Caregivers working in shops and around every corner in a secure community facility. But to a person with cognitive decline, transitioning to a dementia village offers independence and a better quality of life. These centers offer freedom not previously afforded to those with progressive forms of dementia. With the opening of a new village at St. Andrews Healthcare in Northampton, England, they are offering even more hope. (1)
Hope for Dementia Patients
Dementia isn’t a disease, but a symptom that affects memory, thinking, and social abilities. (2) These symptoms often interfere and disrupt daily life, and are usually associated with older adults.
Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of progressive dementia. It’s a degenerative disease that affects nearly 6 million Americans. While it is progressive and degenerative, there are experts who feel that Alzheimer’s, and other progressive cognitive disorders, can be prevented, and potentially even reversed through an active lifestyle and care. (3)
What kind of care can make a difference? Exercise, for one, even just walking outdoors. Good nutrition and activities that support cognitive function are helpful, too. (1) Reminiscence therapy for dementia shows that activities that remind patients of their youthful times can improve mood, cognition, and general behavioral function. (4)
The new center at St. Andrews, called the Lowther dementia hub, is implementing all these innovative treatments to create an all-inclusive community rather than a hospital environment. They monitor residents in non-intrusive ways such as faucets that register and record when they have been left on (and then shut off automatically). (1)
Esteemed Village
Referred to as a “dementia village”, this pioneering idea for a care facility was initiated in the Netherlands in 2009 with De Hogeweyk. “Hogeweyk” translates to “high (as in esteemed) village”. (5) And they are indeed esteemed villages. Most care facilities function on keeping a close eye on patients with cognitive disorders, which restricts their freedom considerably.
A dementia village allows residents to explore and move independently. They visit hair salons, grocery markets, and even a movie theater, at their leisure. But healthcare professionals staff the village, monitoring and caring for residents as necessary. Studies show that this extra autonomy improves the quality of life and that residents live longer than those in conventional homes. (5)
Lowther dementia hub uses the model set by Hogeweyk. They create a sense of self-sufficiency while providing state-of-the-art long-term care. The hub hosts town amenities such as a post office and village hall for social activities, and a village green where residents can roam freely and visit with family. (3)
The Idea of Dementia Village is Taking Off
The new hub at St. Andrews is not the only other innovative facility designed to create autonomy among dementia patients. In 2018, the United States opened its first Glenner Town Square® in Chula Vista, California. This day center focuses on Reminiscence Therapy, with an entire village themed after the 1950s. Meanwhile, other regions are designing their own dementia villages. Germany opened its version in 2014, and “The Village”, in Langley, British Columbia, opened its doors in 2019. (6)
By the year 2050, experts believe Alzheimer’s will affect as many as 13.8 million Americans. One in ten adults over the age of sixty-five is diagnosed with this crippling cognitive disorder. (2) Therefore, having a life-sustaining option for our loved ones which promises to help them not just survive, but thrive, is vital for our physical and mental well-being.
A community creating a better quality-of-life for its residents while caring for patients is definitely something we can get behind. And a trend I hope to see more of as time goes on.
