It takes a village’ is usually coined when it comes to raising a child but what if we used the same term to describe keeping healthy.

One small conversation can change how you feel, studies show that it doesn’t have to be a deep conversation or even be with someone you know. Popping into the local store and having a chat about the weather with the person at the counter or commenting on how good the coffee tastes at your local cafe can effect how you feel there and then and also communicatively over time add years to your mental faculty.

Some nursing homes have used this idea to build what are being called dementia villages. Read more below.

But in the meantime, try it, see how you feel when you open yourself up to being a little more chatty and asses how you feel after the interactions and at the end of the day. It’s not easy for everyone but it can be a worthwhile endeavour.

The first purpose-built dementia village, De Hogeweyk, opened in the Netherlands in 2009.

However, the idea began in 1992, when nursing home manager Yvonne van Amerongen and her colleagues questioned why people with dementia were expected to spend their remaining years in hospital-like institutions.

In 1993, they introduced an experimental care unit designed around ordinary domestic life rather than institutional routines. This eventually developed into the village model.

What research supported the concept?

One important influence was the work of British psychologist Tom Kitwood, who developed person-centred approaches to dementia care during the 1990s.

His research and observations challenged the idea that dementia care should focus primarily on managing symptoms. He emphasised that relationships, personal identity, familiar environments and dignity remain important even as cognitive abilities decline.

A particularly relevant study was published in 2012:

Quality of Life of Residents With Dementia in Traditional Versus Small-Scale Long-Term Care Settings.

Researchers compared 179 residents in the Netherlands and Belgium. In the Dutch sample, those living in smaller, homelike settings showed better outcomes in social relationships, positive emotions and opportunities for meaningful activity.

You can read the study here.

Importantly, this study came after the first village opened. Research findings have also been mixed, and a 2023 review found that strong quantitative evidence specifically evaluating dementia villages was still lacking.

The fascinating psychological principle

The idea is that people with dementia may experience less confusion and distress when they live in an environment that feels familiar, meaningful and socially connected.

Rather than telling residents to remain in their rooms, villages provide shops, cafés, gardens, streets and opportunities for everyday activities, with care and safety built into the environment.

There is something powerful about the underlying philosophy: instead of expecting vulnerable people to adapt to an institution, we can adapt the institution to their human needs.

Can I ask whether you’re interested specifically in the dementia villages, or in the psychological research showing how familiar environments and social connection affect older people’s mental and physical health? There are some fascinating studies in the second area too.