An estimated 8.2 million Americans will be living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia in 2030. One provider is looking at a new-to-the-US model for memory care to support the growing need.
Patterned after The Hogeweyk in the Netherlands, the first dementia village in the world, faith-based nonprofit United Methodist Communities is planning to open a memory care community in Holmdel, NJ, that will have a small-town atmosphere.
The 152 residents who live at The Hogeweyk all have severe dementia and require 24-hour-a-day care.
“UMC believes that this new model is a crucial step forward in bringing abundant life to those living with dementia,” the US provider said.
UMC operates nine long-term care facilities offering skilled nursing, assisted living, memory support and independent living, as well as a home health agency in New Jersey. The idea behind Avandell, UMC’s forthcoming community, is to take the institutional feel out of dementia care and instead create a village setting where residents can keep a sense of normalcy.
“Avandell will be a tranquil residential village for dementia residents,” UMC said.
Designed by New York-based architectural firm Perkins Eastman, Avandell will have 15 seven-bedroom houses with an “unobtrusive, residential-style secure perimeter linking them.” A town center building will include a grocery store, bistro and gathering spaces for residents, potential residents and visitors — all within a secured perimeter.
Avandell will have landscaped meadows and buffers. The homes are designed to have a farmhouse aesthetic reminiscent of the rural nature of the area.
Additionally, the village will include a neurocognitive clinic and a resource hub to serve residents, who will have mid- to late-stage dementia.
It is unknown when the Avandell will become reality, as UMC is still working through the zoning process.
