America’s First Ever ‘Dementia Village’ Coming to Wisconsin

Anyone who has seen a loved one stricken with and then proceed to decline due to dementia knows how painful it is. Oftentimes the loved one is completely unaware of their mental degradation, unable to recall short-term or long-term memories. It's the ones that must care for their relative, who is a shell of themselves, that suffer the most.

In countries such as the Netherlands, as well as Europe, Australia, and China, there are places known as "dementia villages," which function more like neighborhoods than nursing homes. A village of this ilk is set to open in Wisconsin in the very near future, which would make it the first-of-its-kind in the entire United States.

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Agrace Dementia Village: Coming Soon to Wisconsin:

Work is already beginning on a $40 million community to be built on the Fitchburg campus of Agrace, a community-based nonprofit healthcare agency in Wisconsin, located near Madison. The project is modeled after several dementia villages in the Netherlands, and is expected to house up to 65 people with dementia diagnosis.

Per People Magazine, plans include the construction of eight homes designed to house eight residents. More than just homes, however, the location will sport a restaurant, spa, and grocery store, with intense focus on making this akin to a functioning small town as opposed to a conventional nursing home. Staff and caretakers will be on-site, and visitors will be permitted.

What Agrace Leadership is Saying About the US' First "Dementia Village:"

Agrace President and CEO Lynne Sexten spoke about the design and functionality of a dementia village, and what they're prioritizing with America's first-of-its-kind neighborhood:

We want to create an environment where we restore as much autonomy and personal spontaneity as possible for those living with dementia [....] There’s going to be such a gap, such a need for additional memory care beds in our community that it was a slam dunk. It made sense to move forward with this,” Sexten said. “Families aren’t happy, the people living in these memory care units aren’t always happy, and so really what we wanted to do was try to find a better solution. And this solution has been created in lots of other countries, just not the U.S - Agrace President and CEO Lynne Sexten, per People Magazine

How Much Will it Cost to Live in Dementia Village?:

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At this time, pricing isn't available, but Agrace has stated that they expect it to be comparable to other nursing care facilities. Medical expenses are figured to be billed to insurance. With construction slated to start in the springtime, the project could be fully operational sometime in 2027.

Read more about Wisconsin getting the United States' first ever "Dementia Village" on People Magazine's website. You can also find out more about the project on Agrace's website.