THE DUTCH HAVE BEEN THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX WHEN IT COMES TO CARING FOR THE ELDERLY
1. HOGEWEYK DEMENTIA VILLAGE
Residents of Hogeweyk, a village located in Weesp, Netherlands, lead a normal life. They go to the grocery store, discuss the weather, and enjoy a weekly game of bingo. But there’s one thing that sets the 152 residents apart from the general public: Everyone has an advanced form of dementia.
There are 7 lifestyles defined in Hogeweyk: urban, artisan, Indonesian, homey, Goois, cultural and Christian. Every Hogeweyk home houses six to eight people with the same lifestyle. This lifestyle can be seen in the decor and layout of the house, the interaction in the group and with the members of staff, day to day activity and the way these activities are carried out.
One nursing home in the Netherlands allows university students to live rent-free alongside the elderly residents, as part of a project aimed at warding off the negative effects of aging.
2. HUMANITAS NURSING HOME OFFERS RENT-FREE HOUSING TO STUDENTS
In exchange for small, rent-free apartments, the Humanitas retirement home in Deventer, Netherlands, requires students to spend at least 30 hours per month acting as “good neighbours,” Humanitas head Gea Sijpkes said in an email to PBS NewsHour.
3. ‘QUO VADIS’ INTERACTIVE BOAT INSTALLATION FOR DEMENTIA PATIENTS
In the wheelhouse of ‘Quo Vadis’, residents can look out over a calm sea with seagulls soaring through the air. They can use the wheel to steer the boat and watch the physical compass match the new course. The wheelhouse is filled with the familiar sounds of the wooden boat creaking, the engine chugging along, the waves lapping against the boat and the seagulls calling.
4. True Doors® decals are person-centered care solutions to improve the quality of life for elders with dementia
True Doors are a simple idea done well. They are made-to-measure decals using pictures of real doors that last years and bring a smile to your face. People personalize front doors with decals from the True Door collection and/or using a decal recreating a past door.
ANALYSIS:
The Netherlands has several ways of accommodating older adults. From system designs that create communities that allow for older adults to be more independent than a traditional assisted living facility to simple tweaks to one’s door via a door decal. The Netherlands is a great example of how design can create a big impact on someone’s life.
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