De Hogeweyk is the Netherlands' dementia village, which was established in 2009 in Weesp, close to Amsterdam. The dementia village in the Netherlands is a gated environment in which senior citizens who are suffering from dementia can walk around and engage in daily activities under round-the-clock professional care.
Netherlands' dementia village, De Hogeweyk, has a design that makes it seem more like a small village than a clinical nursing home. It features streets, gardens, parks, squares, eateries, a café, a pub, a supermarket, a market, a beauty parlour, a theatre, a studio, and even a post office. Patients have the chance to stroll around the village, go shopping, get a coffee, or participate in other activities. Also, patients are allowed to roam freely within the premises.
How do the residents live and how is the care provided?
The residents stay in small households consisting of six or seven members. These houses are designed according to the lifestyle and culture of the occupants. Each house consists of individual bedrooms, a common sitting area, kitchen and open areas. The purpose of designing such housing is to make it feel like home while maintaining privacy and sociability.
Care is available at all times, but not all of these individuals come as typical health care providers. They can work as salespeople, cashiers, baristas, beauty therapists, or even as other people that one would find within their community. They wear ordinary clothes and offer assistance discreetly. This strategy aims to ensure that people do not feel institutionalised.
Why is the Netherlands' dementia village different?
The Netherlands' dementia village is founded on the principle of personalised living. It emphasises dignity, independence, and autonomy, as opposed to having people feel confined in a medical environment
The village is also planned in such a way that it facilitates social interaction. People from the local community can take part in functions held there, and even some of the facilities are accessible to the general public.
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