A story about a Dutch village “where everyone has dementia” is both happy and sad.
It is good to know that the residents are treated with respect and dignity and are helped to live as normally as possible in their new reality. The sadness comes from the knowledge that there is no cure for what afflicts them and that so few can live in Hogewey.
The article says it might be impossible to make such a place work in the United States. We do have some good assisted living facilities for those who can afford them, but far too many families don’t have that luxury.
It seems there are lessons we can learn from the Dutch village experience, and big questions we need to ask. One question the article raises is particularly intriguing: How much of dementia is a result of disease, and how much is a result of how we treat it?
My question: Are we ready to help the millions more who are likely to need dementia care in years to come?
Sadly, no.
The Smith Compound 