The village is named Hogewey, and it is located in the Netherlands. It looks like a normal village and has shops, restaurants and even a small grocery store. However, all of the residents have dementia, and the town is a care facility. The village was created to offer people with dementia the proper care they need, but giving them autonomy in their lives.
As of now, there are 152 people living there and the residents are monitored via cameras 24/7. There are also caretakers that pose in street clothes and there is only one door that people can leave and enter the town at. All of this is part of a system that is designed to keep everyone safe.
Friends and family are encouraged to visit the town, and some even come every single day.
Officials at the village say that this lifestyle leads to patients being able to improve dramatically.
In 2013, CNN reported that residents appeared to benefit from the approach the facility takes. The report said that patients in Hogewey ate better and lived longer, as well as took less medication.
The World Health Organization says that more than 30 million people have dementia.
