Page 13 - Possible Magazine - Issue 7

1 World Health Organization. (2015). World report on ageing and health. World Health Organization.
Healthy ageing is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables well-being in older age.”1
As we live longer, and our ageing requirements change, how is our approach to aged care advancing around the world?
The Dutch village of De Hogeweyk
ASSETS-BASED PLACES.
Tapping into the wealth of community resources to broaden service offerings.
In the UK, the Social Care Institute of Excellence (SCIE) is exploring how an assets-based model of social care can enable communities to thrive, increase access to services and reduce the overall cost of support.
The aim of the assets-based approach is to effectively use the existing knowledge, skills and resources within each community. It involves a shift in focus from providing services that are reactive to people’s needs, to enhancing community and individual health, wellbeing and resilience.
In Australia, many providers are starting to take a similar strength- based approach to care and support planning. And at Just Better Care, our focus on building teams with local knowledge means that we
can support our customers to build connections and remain independent and active in their community.
DEMENTIA VILLAGES.
Recreating real-life experiences in safe environments.
The Dutch village of De Hogeweyk is a special community that is home to 180 people with dementia. It could very simply be described as a small town, complete with a town square, greengrocer, theatre, garden and restaurant. Residents are free to wander and socialise, and family and friends are encouraged to visit.
But there is a twist. In this gated community, residents are monitored by an acoustic listening system and movement sensor system during the night, and Support Professionals in street clothing sit on hand to assist
if needed. With resident safety a priority, there is only one entry to the village.
Replacing a conventional hospital ward or nursing home with a seemingly “real-life” experience seems to benefit the residents in many ways. CNN reported that residents require fewer medications, eat more healthily, are more
engaged, lead more independent lives and even live longer than those in more traditional dementia facilities.
Closer to home, final plans
for the first Tasmanian dementia village designed to recreate real-life experiences for people living with dementia have been unveiled. Korongee Village in Tasmania will include its own supermarket, cinema, cafe, beauty salon and gardens, employing and training locals to work within the village and housing 90 residents. While in Brisbane, NewDirection Care at Bellmere
is pioneering a similar innovative approach to residential aged care.
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