Age care: the example of the Netherlands

From March 9 to 12 2020, Dialog Health organized a program on age care in the Netherlands (Amsterdam, The Hague, Weesp, Zoetermeer, Zaandam). This program gathered different actors from French, Belgian and Luxembourgish health and elderly care services who learned about the Dutch age care system.

During their three days of technical visits, Dutch representatives introduced the way their system works, handling the challenges linked to the growth of their aging population, trying to learn and understand the reasons behind their successes. The Dutch speakers engaged in very good conversations with the delegates, discussing major key actors in the policies of Integrated Care and Long-term Care, particularly in supporting people suffering from dementias.

With the theme being longevity with quality of life, the Netherlands has a very clear experience of user-centered innovations, helped by a numerous amount of volunteers inside nursing homes and on the development of green innovation.

The visit to the Dementia Village of Hogeweyk was pointed out as especially relevant by most representatives. Details of the architectural design, its policies of care and its shared governance were presented, revealing the secret of this institution worldwide recognized for its success in making the lives of people with severe dementia normal.

This study trip was a great opportunity for participants to observe the development and practical implementation of the new Dutch trends in the health care and support of the elderly population.