Hogewey

De Hogeweyk, operated by nursing home Hogewey, is a gated model village in Weesp, Netherlands. It has been designed specifically as a pioneering care facility for elderly people with dementia.[1] The benefit of using all-day reminiscence therapy at Hogewey, compared to traditional nursing homes, is that the residents with dementia are more active and require less medication.[2] The setting has been compared to that depicted in the film The Truman Show.[3] Carers, doctors and nurses work around the clock to provide the 152 residents the necessary 24-hour care.

Layout

The Hogewey complex is set out like a village with a town square, supermarket, hairdressing salon, theatre, pub, café-restaurant—as well as the twenty-three houses themselves. Each house reflects a different style that is common to, and familiar for, the six or seven people who live in that house.[1] The seven settings provided are Stedelijk, for those used to living in an urban city area, Goois, with an aristocratic Dutch feel, Ambachtelijk used to working as trades people or craftsmen/women, Indisch for those with an association with Indonesia and the former Dutch East Indies, Huiselijk for homemakers, Cultureel for those brought up with theatre and cinema, and Christelijk for those with a central religious aspect to life, whether Christian or another religion.[1]

The doctors, nurses and carers aim to make the experience as real as possible to the residents. Residents do the necessary shopping at the supermarket and assist with preparing and cooking as they would at home.[4] The carers wear normal daytime clothing rather than clinical clothing, and fit into a role that the dementia sufferers are likely to be comfortable with; in the working class households the carers are seen to be neighbours or carers, while in the aristocratic/upper class setting, the nurses act akin to servants.[1] The different living styles have different types of music playing, significantly varied interior design, food and methods of table setting.[1] Residents within each house have their own large bedroom and then meet with other residents to share the living room, kitchen and dining room.[4] There are no locks on the doors and residents are free to walk or cycle around within the village, including choosing to visit the supermarket or cafe.[1]

The village employs 250 members of staff.[4] In order to maintain the "fake reality" (hyperreality) that those living at Hogewey are comfortable with, the staff are instructed not to correct the residents as the residents are talking about memories, background and history.[1] At the same time, the staff will not deceive the patients if directly asked, truthfully stating that the residents are in a place where they can receive required care for their condition.[3] Because of the nature of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, the residents can remember the distant past but not the present, so even truthful answers given by the staff will be forgotten quickly.[3]

History

The village came about in 1992, when Yvonne van Amerongen and another member of staff at a traditional nursing home both had one of their own parents die, being glad that their elderly parents had died quickly and had not had to endure hospital-like care. After a series of research and brainstorming sessions in 1993, they decided that people generally prefer to surround and interact with other like-minded people of similar backgrounds and experiences. The arrangement at Hogewey provides this by ensuring that residents with similar backgrounds continue to live closely together.

The new Hogewey facility was designed by architects Molenaar&Bol&VanDillen,[5] and opened in December 2009 on four acres of land.[4][6] It consists of low two-story brick buildings, and amenities such as a supermarket and theatre.[4] The construction of the new Hogewey facilities cost €19.3 million and was funded primarily by the Dutch government providing €17.8 million,[4][7] plus €1.5 million in funding and sponsorship from local organisations.[6]

The café–restaurant is to some extent open to the public and the theatre is hired by local businesses, both of which help towards the running costs.[8] The cost per resident is similar to more traditional nursing homes at around €5,000 per month.[4] Amerongen is now Hogewey's Director of Innovation at Vivium—the government-owned company that runs Hogewey.[9] Because of the amount of foreign interest and foreign visitors, Vivium recruited an Information Officer for Hogewey.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Fernandes, Edna (4 March 2012). "Dementiaville: How an experimental new town is taking the elderly back to their happier and healthier pasts with astonishing results". Daily Mail Online. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  2. ↑ Archer, Dale (12 April 2012). "Stepping Back in Time: Help for Alzheimer's". Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Moisse, Katie (10 April 2012). "Alzheimer's Disease: Dutch Village Doubles as Nursing Home". ABC News. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Henley, Jon (27 August 2012). "The village where people have dementia – and fun". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  5. ↑ Rupprecht, Isabelle (6 September 2012). "Dementia Village 'De Hogeweyk' in Weesp". Detail (9). Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  6. 1 2 Hans, Barbara (29 March 2012). "Living in the Moment Dutch Village Offers Dignified Care for Dementia Sufferers". Spiegel. Amsterdam. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  7. ↑ Taylor, Cintia (16 March 2012). Impey, Joanna, ed. "Dutch create neighborhood for dementia patients". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  8. 1 2 Tagliabue, John (24 April 2012). "Taking On Dementia With the Experiences of Normal Life". New York Times. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  9. ↑ Holligan, Anna; Patel, Suraj (16 December 2012). "Dementia patients in Dutch village given 'alternative reality'" (video). BBC News Online. Retrieved 16 December 2012.

External links

Coordinates: 52°18′51″N 5°01′44″E / 52.3143°N 5.029°E / 52.3143; 5.029

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