Linking the European Alzheimer Villages: The ACTIVE team meets the Italian Alzheimer Village

Since its opening in 2020, the ACTIVE team is conducting an evaluation of the Village Landais Henri Emmanuelli (Alzheimer Village), an innovative and experimental dementia friendly-facility, unique in France. The study involves a prospective follow up of the villagers, family caregivers and healthcare professionals and includes a medico-economic substudy (in collaboration with the PHARes team).
The leitmotiv of Alzheimer Villages, which are still scarce (around ten in the world), is to promote the quality of life and well-being of residents, by offering an environment resembling an ordinary living environment without visual stigma reminding a medical Institution, and by optimizing interactions and social links.

On September 5, 2023, researchers from the ACTIVE team went to Monza, near Milan (Italy), to visit the Italian Village and meet the professionals in charge of the Village. The objective of this visit is to connect the Alzheimer Villages and associated Research teams in order to ultimately build a European network of Alzheimer Villages and expand research beyond the experience of the Village of Dax.
The ACTIVE team obtained an ANR MRSEI funding in September 2023 in order to support the development of a future European network of Alzheimer Villages.
This visit opens up great prospects for collaboration, and the researchers found the welcoming atmosphere of the Village that they know well in Dax.