The Dementia Village

TEDTalk | Yvonne van Amerogen | The "dementia village" that's redefining elder care

Occupational Therapy (OT) "has to do with looking at the person in front of you and looking at what does this person need now" and seeing them as more than a diagnosis. Dementia is an incurable disease which affects the brain leading to confusion, and as a result, anxiety, depression, and aggression. The presence of dementia within the worldwide population is prominent. So much so, that it has become problematic resulting in waiting lists for nursing homes. Presently, nursing homes assume a clinical appearance such as a hospital or ward leaving patients more confused and with a desire to escape and "go home". Yvonne van Amerogen wanted to challenge the traditional structure of current nursing homes. Twenty-five years ago, she developed the Hogeweyk dementia care center in Amsterdam. This nursing home is occupied by residents with advanced dementia and who are fully dependent on other professionals for around-the-clock care and support. Hogeweyk imitates that of a regular community with streets, alleys, theaters, pubs, and more so that it may simulate and allow residents to partake in a normal lifestyle. 



The current environment of nursing homes is not ideal or desirable for friends, parents, family, or ourselves, and Yvonne pushed for a change. Although individuals with dementia experience general confusion, they still want a normal life. For example, they want a house with a kitchen with a stove where they can smell dinner and have the freedom to go get something to eat or drink. Future residents' family members such as their son or daughter were asked what is important to their mother or father, what was their life like before their diagnoses, and most importantly, what they want. From this information, residents are placed with a "lifestyle group". These are small groups comprised of ~7-8 people (as opposed to the traditional ~20-30 seen in nursing homes) with similar interests and lifestyles. For example, there is a Formal lifestyle group in which the residents wake up and go to sleep at later hours and have a more formal manner of interacting with others. There is also a Cultural lifestyle group for those who value traveling, meeting other people, and being exposed to different cultures, art, and music. 

People are social animals, and it is in our nature to want to have fun and develop meaning in life. Yvonne says that there is more to life than just living in a house with other people. In Hogeweyk, people can go shopping, go to the pub, go to a restaurant, or go to the park. Even in those with advanced dementia, socializing is a critical part of life. Here residents can have this feeling of belonging along with a natural sense of freedom and safety provided by trained volunteers and professionals who know how to approach dementia. Hogeweyk was created with state budget - the same budget as any other traditional nursing home in the country. This can be possible anywhere!

I chose to watch this TEDTalk because the title was interesting. As I was watching, I realized that this creation resonated and aligned perfectly with the meaning and purpose of OT. Hogeweyk aims to increase its residents quality of life by exposing them to a normal, social lifestyle that aids in facilitating independence. As an OT student and future practitioner, this gave me hope for a universal goal that is realistic. Instead of focusing on a diagnosis, this environment encourages and fully adopts a holistic approach to care for its residents as normal people with normal lifestyles. 

~ Pam ♡

Image retrieved from: Google Images
Amerongen, Y. (2018, November). The "dementia village" that's redefining elder care [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/yvonne_van_amerongen_the_dementia_village_that_s_redefining_elder_care