Landais Alzheimer’s Village

Description:

Landais Alzheimer’s is the focus of this article, as the French village has been designated as a medical community for residents suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. For more on this topic, continue reading to the end of the article.

Introduction:

Landais Alzheimer‘s was established for Alzheimer’s patients and seniors to help them enjoy life better in open spaces rather than closed environments. It’s not a village in the literal sense of the word, but rather an attempt to bring life and enjoyment back to seniors dealing with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Landais Alzheimer’s Village: ¹

It’s a French village for Alzheimer’s patients located in southwestern France, established in 2020 to create suitable living atmospheres for seniors with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

This is an alternative to them being confined in small rooms awaiting death. Living in an open area gives seniors a sense of freedom, comfort, and relaxation, which significantly improves their mental state and contributes greatly to their health improvement .

Design of Landais Alzheimer’s Village:

This village is designed as a simulation of Hogeweyk Village in the Netherlands for dementia patients, which has been operational for 14 years and is well-known for its village-like format and design. Landais Alzheimer’s Village mirrors this famous design to create a traditional and familiar life ambiance.

The village features a recognizable and familiar architectural style, earning it an annual design award from Dezeen.

It includes libraries, restaurants, and various other facilities essential for seniors. Additionally, the village has 4 groups of houses with sloping roofs tiled in clay, surrounded by beautiful green spaces with a pond and trees, creating a serene atmosphere.

The village spans approximately 12 acres and is enclosed by a fence for residents’ safety and security.

Interior Design of Landais Alzheimer’s Village in Detail :

Inside each neighborhood or group of buildings are individual houses with a number of private bedrooms. The living or dining area is communal for several residents, overlooking informal courtyard spaces through glass walls, creating a sense of gathering with other homes in the village.

The pathways surrounding the village are designed in loops because Alzheimer’s patients often get confused when they see dead-end roads.

This design encourages residents to retrace their steps towards the center and away from the village’s boundary fence, which is difficult to notice. The goal of these meticulous designs is to create an impression of freedom and instill it in the minds of elderly patients.

Care has been taken to implement various details in the village’s design to minimize the effects of the disease on seniors. For example, the pavements throughout the village are uniformly painted beige, as strong color contrasts can disturb Alzheimer’s patients.

The village offers the possibility of hiding mirrors and using light and darkness to attract residents’ attention. Door handles are in pale and light colors against a dark background to make them easily distinguishable for patients.

Service areas are discreetly placed on walls, as Alzheimer’s patients are often more curious than ordinary people. Thus, marking a room as “staff only” will prompt residents to explore it. Therefore, it is advisable for these rooms and areas to be inconspicuous.

The village features a non-real store where residents can purchase products without actual payment. There is also a cabin for a non-real vintage railway carriage with a screen inside displaying countryside scenes, creating the illusion of a real trip.

Doctors and therapists use these techniques and methods to make patients feel like they are on a genuine journey.

Budget for Establishing Landais Alzheimer’s

The Landais Village project was initiated by local authorities in the area. The village’s budget, which amounts to approximately 28 million euros, was largely funded by local authorities, with some assistance from the national and regional governments.

Landais Village Population Landais Alzheimer’s Village

serves approximately 108 residents who pay 2,000 euros each month. Residents can access services and assistance if they are unable to afford this amount. The village also caters to 12 patients in its daytime care service.

It employs around 120 staff members and approximately 80 volunteers. These staff and volunteers work to serve patients and attend to the needs of those suffering from early dementia and age-related illnesses. The residents’ ages range from 42 to 102 years old.

Activities Offered by Landais for Seniors Landais Alzheimer’s

Village has garnered admiration from many individuals, institutions, governmental, and private entities.

The village provides seniors and Alzheimer’s patients with various activities that improve their mental and physical well-being, including:

• Residents can freely roam and walk within the village’s boundaries in open areas.
• Residents in good health can jog, engage in sports, or ride bicycles.
• Visiting neighbors and friends.
• Going to cafes or restaurants.
• Enjoying shows and events held in the village hall.
• Residents can also care for pets or plants but on a smaller scale.

Advantages of Living in Landais Alzheimer’s Village

Patients in Landais Alzheimer’s Village enjoy numerous benefits and features, including:

• A high level of freedom and comfort compared to traditional care facilities.
• Improved mental and physical health for the patient.
• Top-quality healthcare services.
• The monthly cost for residents is much lower than in traditional nursing homes.
• Participation in social activities.
• Slowing down the progression of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
• Allows children to visit their families and allows volunteers and residents from neighboring villages and neighborhoods to visit Landais Alzheimer’s Village to check on their families or enjoy the village’s cafes and restaurants.

Facilities and Services in Landais Dementia Village

Several facilities and services have been provided within Landais Alzheimer’s Village to give residents a sense of greater freedom. The key facilities in the village include:

• Bridges in the village square.
• Barber shop.
• Small store.
• Pub.
• Sports hall.
• Nearby lake.
• Artistic fittings made of wood to complement the village’s design.

Services Offered by Landais Alzheimer’s Village to Its Residents

Landais Alzheimer’s Village offers various services to its residents. The notable services include:

• Providing comprehensive healthcare.
• Serving meals at designated times and involving residents in table preparation.
• Engaging residents in activities and exercises to improve their mood.
• Having restaurants, cafes, and a hair salon.

Related article : Top 10 New Technologies for Alzheimer’s

Life of Alzheimer’s Patients in Care Facilities

When seniors and Alzheimer’s patients are in care facilities, they receive good healthcare and medical attention. However, their mental state deteriorates due to being confined indoors and feeling like they are locked behind closed doors.

These patients are rarely allowed to walk or stroll outside the care facility, leading them to spend their time watching loud television or sitting near medical equipment emitting odors.

Moreover, Alzheimer’s or dementia patients in care facilities are deprived of making any daily decisions or decisions about anything else. This worsens their mental state day by day.

Care facilities can also be large, old homes that are oddly designed for their residents

Definition of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the most widespread cause of dementia among older adults, affecting approximately 55 million people globally according to data released by the World Alzheimer’s Organization.

This disease was named after the physician who discovered it, Alois Alzheimer, who in 1906 noted changes in brain tissues in a woman who had passed away, experiencing symptoms such as language and memory issues.

A recent study has revealed an association of 42 additional genes with Alzheimer’s disease, marking the first time in history such a discovery has been made.

Scientists from 8 different countries analyzed the genetic material of 111,000 individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, identifying 75 genes linked to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

Among these genes, 45 were previously unknown contributors to the disease.

Causes and Risk Factors of Alzheimer’s Disease

Although the precise cause of Alzheimer’s disease remains largely unclear, there are several causes and risk factors that elevate the likelihood of developing this disease:

• Inheritance of Alzheimer’s disease from a parent with multiple affected genes.
• Head injuries.
• Depression.
• Smoking.
• Women are more susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease than men.
• High blood pressure

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

The symptoms of the disease are divided into four stages as follows:

• Pre-dementia stage: Symptoms include short-term memory loss, inability to retain or acquire new information and skills, problems with planning and attention, apathy in the patient, depression, and decreased awareness.
• Early stage: Increasing weakness in memory and learning ability, sensory perception impairment and motor weakness, reduced vocabulary and decreased written or spoken language, difficulties in coordination and planning such as dressing and drawing or writing.
• Moderate stage: The patient becomes unable to perform routine life activities, speech difficulties become more pronounced, inability to recall words leading to improper word use, failure to recognize relatives, and involuntary urination.
• Advanced stage: The patient in this stage relies entirely on caregiver support, speaks very few phrases and then completely loses speech, apathy and extreme fatigue, deterioration of muscle mass.

Questions

Where exactly is Landais for Alzheimer’s patients located?

Landais for Alzheimer’s patients is located in the town of Dax in southwest France.

Has a cure for Alzheimer’s disease been discovered?

So far, there is no cure to stop or reverse the progression of the disease, but there are some treatments that temporarily improve symptoms.

Conclusion

And here we come to the end of discussing Landais for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. We talked about the village’s design in general as well as the detailed interior design. We also mentioned the budget for establishing the village, its population

1. https://infrance.dialog-health.com/village-alzheimer ↩︎