The ACTIVE team celebrates the Village Landais Alzheimer Henri Emmanuelli annual festival

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 evaluation.

Consistently with the “spirit” of the Village, open to citizens, and attempting to reproduce the life of a real Village, the annual Village festival was held on September 30. All the people involved in the Village were invited to this party, the Villagers of course but also the families who came in large numbers, the professionals, the volunteers… and the researchers. Indeed, in order to interact in a natural and friendly way with families, researchers from the ACTIVE team were present. Beyond the festive aspect (a day which encountered a great success with 250 people coming to celebrate the Village at the sound of “bandas”, folkloric dances and music), it is the emphasis placed on the interpersonal relationships and the maintenance of people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease in an active and social life which particularly interests the ACTIVE team, as could be seen during this joyful Village festival.