SAGE study tour: aged care in the Netherlands and Norway

Utrecht & Oslo, Netherlands & Norway · March 2-12, 2026

From 2 to 12 March 2026, an Australian delegation from the SAGE programme — 14 delegates, joined by two invited partners — took part in a study tour organised with Dialog Health in the Netherlands (Utrecht) and Norway (Oslo). Through site visits and discussions with local teams, participants explored approaches that put autonomy, everyday life and social connections at the centre of aged care and dementia support.

The first part of the tour, based in Utrecht, introduced participants to several Dutch models of support for older people and people living with cognitive impairment. An introductory seminar with ActiZ, Vilans and Buurtzorg provided context on how care is organised, on innovation and on home-based support.

At ZorgErf, the delegation observed a living environment open to nature, where everyday activities, shared meals and connections with the surroundings are part of the care approach. Discussions with Cordaan, De Leyhoeve, Argos Zorggroep, Dagelijks Leven and Het Gastenhuis explored small-scale living units, hospitality, multidisciplinary work and the role of families.

In Oslo, a second seminar with Friskus and Aldring og helse introduced the Norwegian context. Visits to Furuset Hageby, Vålerengahjemmet (Kirkens Bymisjon) and Dronning Ingrids Hage made it possible to compare environments and organisations centred on dignity, meaningful activities and continuity of relationships. The meeting with Hvaler municipality and discussions with Generasjon M broadened the reflection to the role of communities and intergenerational connections. The introduction to Motiview illustrated how video and cycling can be used to encourage appropriate physical activity.

The feedback gathered in the participants' summary highlights several directions for their Australian organisations: preserving people's choices, designing familiar living environments, supporting the involvement of families and the community, and evolving risk management in the service of quality of life. Accompanied by Judy Martin, SAGE Study Tours programme lead, the tour also created a space for collective reflection on the practical conditions for implementing these practices.

The program

Introductory seminar (Utrecht). The tour opened with an overview of the Dutch system. ActiZ, the organisation representing providers of aged care and home care, presented the framework in which providers operate. Vilans, the knowledge centre for long-term care, discussed how new practices are spread across the sector. Buurtzorg outlined its model of home nursing delivered by autonomous neighbourhood teams. This foundation helped the delegation place each subsequent visit in its national context.
ZorgErf Buiten-Verblijf. The first site visit, ZorgErf, showed support for people living with dementia rooted in a living environment open to nature. Familiar everyday activities and shared meals structure the day and are part of the care itself. The delegation looked at how surroundings and ordinary daily tasks can support autonomy and a sense of purpose — an approach worth examining in relation to the design of living environments in Australia.
Cordaan (Oude Raai, Amsterdam). At Oude Raai, the visit focused on multidisciplinary residential care. Discussions with staff showed how professionals coordinate around residents' quality of life and what place families have in the life of the home. For the delegation, the aim was to understand how these two dimensions fit together day to day; supporting family involvement is among the directions noted in the participants' summary.
De Leyhoeve. De Leyhoeve brings living, hospitality and care together in a single model. The visit showed how a hospitality mindset is combined with the organisation of care, and what this changes both in residents' experience and in the layout of spaces. Participants found food for thought for Australian organisations seeking to make their settings more familiar and open, while keeping the demands of care in view.
Argos Zorggroep (Breede Vliet). At Breede Vliet, Argos Zorggroep provides residential support for people living with dementia, organised around shared living spaces. The delegation observed the role of these common areas in structuring the day and in relationships between residents and staff. The visit offered a useful point of comparison with the other Dutch models in the programme, helping to distinguish what comes from architecture, team organisation and care culture.
Dagelijks Leven (Het Snijdelhuis). Dagelijks Leven develops small-scale homes for people living with dementia; the delegation visited Het Snijdelhuis. The small size of the house and a household-like organisation support a familiar rhythm of life in which families are involved. For participants, the visit gave a concrete form to one of the directions in their summary: designing familiar living environments on a human scale.
Het Gastenhuis (Warmond). In Warmond, Het Gastenhuis also offers small-scale housing for people living with dementia. The delegation observed familiar daily routines, respect for residents' autonomy, stable teams and family involvement. Seen alongside Het Snijdelhuis on the same day, the visit made it possible to compare two versions of the small-scale model and to consider the organisational conditions that make it work.
Introductory seminar (Oslo). The Norwegian part of the tour began with a framing seminar. Friskus presented its approach to community participation in supporting older people. Aldring og helse shared its expertise on ageing and dementia. These sessions gave the delegation a reading of the Norwegian context before the site visits and prepared the comparison with the models seen in the Netherlands the previous week.
Furuset Hageby. At this City of Oslo facility, the visit focused on support for people living with dementia, the design of the living environment and the role of digital tools. The delegation observed how the organisation of spaces and activities seeks to preserve residents' dignity and the continuity of their relationships. As the first Norwegian stop, Furuset Hageby provided a direct point of comparison with the Dutch approaches.
Kirkens Bymisjon (Vålerengahjemmet). At Vålerengahjemmet, run by Kirkens Bymisjon, everyday life in residential care was explored through multidisciplinary care and the maintenance of family ties. The delegation looked at how the team links care with meaningful activities, and at the place given to relatives in residents' daily lives. These questions connect directly with participants' reflections on family involvement in their own organisations.
Dronning Ingrids Hage. This City of Oslo facility is organised into small, homelike living units. The visit showed how this scale, combined with meaningful activities, supports dignity and continuity of relationships. For the delegation, the interest lay in seeing the principle applied in a Norwegian public facility and comparing it with the small-scale homes visited in the Netherlands.
Hvaler municipality. With Hvaler municipality, the discussion moved beyond the care home. Exchanges covered local services, volunteering and the role of community life in supporting older people. The delegation examined how a municipality draws on local resources — an approach participants may consider in relation to the role of communities around Australian organisations.
Generasjon M. Generasjon M presented its work on connections between generations and the social participation of older people. The delegation explored how intergenerational encounters can help older people keep an active place in the community. As the final meeting of the programme, it extended the Hvaler discussions by showing another way of involving civil society in aged care.
During the programme — Motiview. The delegation was introduced to Motiview, which combines cycling with video to encourage appropriate physical activity. Discussions covered the simplicity of the set-up and its possible dual value: supporting physical activity and encouraging resident engagement. For Australian organisations, it is a tool to assess against the needs of the people they support, rather than a solution to transfer as is.