Rethinking Institutions: These Villages Are Designed For People With Dementia

People with dementia face numerous challenges—not only the patients themselves but also their caregivers. Traditional nursing homes, while focused on safety, often limit independence and personal freedom. That’s where the concept of a dementia village comes in—a thoughtfully designed space that allows individuals with dementia to live with dignity, autonomy, and a sense of normalcy in their daily lives. 

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is a general term used to describe a decline in cognitive abilities—including memory, thinking, reasoning, and communication skills—that interferes significantly with a person's ability to live independently. While Alzheimer's disease is the most common form, there are several lesser-known types like vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.

Regardless of the type, dementia brings immense challenges to both patients and their caregivers. From forgetting names and places to struggling with basic routines like dressing or eating, individuals often find themselves in a world that feels unfamiliar, almost like being reborn into confusion. This loss of familiarity and control often leads to isolation and deep emotional vulnerability.

Caregivers, on the other hand, bear the weight of constant supervision, emotional tolls, and financial pressure. They are torn between the need to provide full-time personal care and their own responsibilities. Traditional care facilities, while focused on safety, are often institutional and rigid. They prioritise medical routines over emotional and social well-being, often stripping people with dementia of their independence and dignity.

This is the very gap that dementia villages aim to bridge.

Dementia Villages

The Hogeweyk, the first dementia village, was created in Weesp, Netherlands, in 2009 with the thought of restoring normalcy, dignity, and freedom to people living with dementia. Instead of seeing them only through the lens of their illness,

“People with dementia are still people with aspirations, emotions, and preferences. They deserve to live in an environment that respects their identity and allows them to make everyday choices.” 

This guiding principle of respecting individual identity and preferences is what led to the creation of Hogeweyk, the world’s first dementia village. Its goal was to provide a safe, dignified space where people with dementia could enjoy their independence within a carefully designed environment.

The village was structured around small groups, surrounded by familiar, homelike settings, which gave residents the freedom to move safely while maintaining a sense of autonomy. Hogeweyk’s success has inspired many countries to replicate its model, improving the quality of life for individuals with dementia worldwide.