Inside the Dutch 'dementia village' that offers beer, bingo, and top-notch healthcare

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dementia village

Hogewey

Residents of Hogeweyk, a village located in Weesp, Netherlands, lead a normal life. They go to the grocery store, complain about the weather, and enjoy a weekly game of bingo.

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But there's one thing that sets the 152 residents apart from the general public: Everyone has an advanced form of dementia.

Hogeweyk is a nursing home disguised to look like the outside world. It helps people with mild to severe dementia suffer a little bit less in their remaining years, facility manager Eloy van Hal told Business Insider. He said it preserves people's sense of autonomy.

The village is comprised of 23 houses, each with six to seven residents and a caregiver who cooks, takes people to social events, helps them go grocery shopping at the village market, and watches over them to ensure their safety.

Here's what life is like inside Hogeweyk's walls.

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