Much media attention has been paid to De Hogeweyk, the senior living village in The Netherlands that opened last year and operates essentially as an all-inclusive, gated community for people with dementia. It’s a fascinating model—one that Dodd Kattman, partner with MKM Architecture + Design (Fort Wayne, Ind.), has visited and will discuss at the EFA Conference this spring (April 18-21, Baltimore).
“I spent a day at De Hogeweyk,” Kattman says, “and this is a very bold and interesting concept on a few levels.” While it’s not perfect, he explains, it raises some interesting questions and considerations when planning U.S.-based programs.
For example, residents are free to roam the village at will; the community was designed to ensure safety and promote easy wayfinding. Says Kattman: “The freedom to explore outdoor and indoor common public spaces enhances personal choice and a perception of normalcy. But this freedom may also create problems. We did encounter wandering residents who clearly needed to be redirected and meaningfully engaged by family or staff. Their endless wandering was creating physical distress.”
Another interesting design element is that De Hogeweyk residents are placed in households of six or seven people, based on their shared interests and backgrounds. “These special interest areas align with societal research conducted by the government,” Kattman explains, “and the unique interior design of the different households reinforces these interest areas.”
One thing working in De Hogeweyk’s favor in The Netherlands—as opposed to here in the States—is a culture that’s non-automobile-dependent. “Come sun, rain, and snow, bicycles are a dominant source of transportation year round. I speculate that this affinity to engage and explore outdoor spaces substantially increases the utilization of the connected courtyards. This behavior is likely not as strong in the U.S.”
Kattman will describe De Hogeweyk and several other models of dementia care overseas and compare them to U.S. offerings in “Acclaimed European Dementia Care Buildings,” a session scheduled for Monday morning of the conference. For more information and to register, go to EFAconference.com.
