A hospice campus in Wisconsin breaks ground this spring
When it comes to hospice care design for seniors with dementia and other cognitive disabilities, Hogeweyk Dementia Village in Weesp, Netherlands, is the gold standard around the world.
The Hogeweyk model, designed by Molenaar&Bol&VanDillen Architects, has been replicated throughout Europe, as well as Australia, China and Canada, but not yet in the U.S. Agrace, a nonprofit community healthcare agency, seeks to change that.
A new campus in Madison, Wisconsin, modeled after Hogeweyk and backed by Agrace will break ground this spring. The Ellen & Peter Johnson Dementia Village at Agrace is being designed by Community Living Solutions, an architecture firm based in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Upon completion, the $40 million, hospice care residential campus will be the first “dementia village” in the United States, Agrace officials stated.
Agrace Dementia Village will house up to 65 people spread across eight homes. The campus will also have a restaurant, spa, and grocery store, all within walking distance from the homes, in an attempt to create a close-knit neighborhood feel. Housing for staff and caretakers will also be built.
Renderings show single-story buildings lining a walkable promenade dotted with fountains, street lamps, benches, and plant beds. The homes will have pitched roofs, come in different colors, and have porches.
Agrace President and CEO Lynne Sexten said that “living at this campus will not feel like an institution,” and that we are building individual households that look and feel just like a home.”
“Residents will have eight housemates, a kitchen, their own bedroom and a living room. All the things that you have in a traditional home today will be replicated here within the village,” Sexten added. “The village will be thoughtfully designed to support those with dementia to keep them safe while providing them with access to a robust social network they can be excited about participating in.”
The project is in response to demographic shifts in Wisconsin. Today, almost 11 percent of Wisconsin residents over age 65 live with Alzheimer’s disease, the seventh leading cause of death in the state. And this 11 percent number is expected to double by 2040. It is also indicative of a larger trend, nationally, and globally, to address the aging population’s need for decent, affordable housing.
Family caregivers are estimated to provide 300 million hours of unpaid care for people living with dementia. Of that number, 63 percent of caregivers have their own chronic health conditions.
The hospice community is slated to open next year.
