The Dutch 'Dementia Village' That Looks Like a Real Town

Imagine a quiet Dutch village with tree-lined streets, a town square, a supermarket, a restaurant, and cozy homes. Residents stroll through gardens, grab groceries, and chat with neighbors. It looks completely ordinary—and that's exactly the point.

De Hogeweyk in Weesp, Netherlands, is actually a pioneering care facility for people with severe dementia. Every element is designed to feel like normal life, while providing round-the-clock medical care invisibly woven into the fabric of daily existence.

A Revolutionary Approach to Dementia Care

Traditional nursing homes can feel institutional—long corridors, shared rooms, rigid schedules. De Hogeweyk flipped that model entirely when it opened in 2009.

The facility houses around 150 residents in 23 different homes, each decorated in a specific lifestyle theme:

• Urban modern for city dwellers
• Traditional Dutch for those who prefer classic decor
• Cultural for residents with artistic backgrounds
• Indonesian for those with ties to the former Dutch colony

Residents live with 6-7 others who share similar backgrounds and interests. Staff members dress in street clothes rather than medical uniforms. There are no locked wards—instead, the entire village is gently enclosed, giving residents freedom to wander safely.

The Shops Are Real (Sort Of)

The supermarket, restaurant, bar, and theater aren't props. Residents actually use them. They can browse shelves, pick out items, and "pay" at the register. Staff members work as shopkeepers, waiters, and gardeners—all trained caregivers who seamlessly provide assistance while maintaining the illusion of independence.

Money doesn't change hands in a traditional sense. The all-inclusive care cost (covered by Dutch government healthcare) means residents can simply take what they need.

Why It Works

Research suggests this approach significantly reduces anxiety and agitation in dementia patients. The familiar rhythms of daily life—shopping, cooking, socializing—activate long-term memories even when short-term recall has faded.

Residents at De Hogeweyk reportedly require fewer medications, eat better, and live longer than those in traditional facilities. They also seem happier. Giving people autonomy and purpose, even within a carefully managed environment, preserves dignity in ways that conventional care often cannot.

A Model for the World

De Hogeweyk has inspired similar projects across the globe. Dementia villages have since opened in France, Italy, Australia, Canada, and the United States. Each adapts the concept to local culture while maintaining the core philosophy: create a world that makes sense to the person living in it.

The Dutch village remains the gold standard, proving that dementia care doesn't have to feel like a sentence. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is build a world where someone can simply live—even if that world exists within carefully designed walls.