Inside the village where everyone has dementia and residents don't carry wallets

22 December 2023 , 23:11

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Residents of Landais in the outdoors (Image: Facebook)

In South West France, there is a unique village where everyone who lives there is suffering from dementia, according to reports.

In Village Landais the oldest resident is 102, and the youngest is 40. The shop in the main square may look normal to those unassuming and stocks all the essentials including French baguette but it does not take money, so no one has to remember their wallet.

As well as the shop and restaurant, villagers are encouraged to attend the theatre and partake in activities. Village Landais is an experiment to see if removing stress from those with Alzheimer’s can help slow the progression of the disease.

The experiment is led by a team of researchers at Bordeaux University and led by Professor Hélène Amieva, who visits every six months to chat with residents and monitor the progression of the disease. The BBC visited the village and reported there are no set hours for appointments, shopping and cleaning, "just a gentle rhythm coaxing and cajoling villagers, to give them as much freedom as possible."

Professor Amieva says families feel less guilty knowing their relatives live in the village. She said: "What we used to see when people enter an institution is an accelerated cognitive decline - that is not observed in this institution.

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"We see a kind of very smooth evolution. We have some reasons to believe these kinds of institutions can influence the trajectory of clinical outcomes."

A birdseye view of the dementia village (Facebook)

One resident's daughter, Dominique, said: "I have peace of mind, because I know she has peace of mind and is safe. When I leave her, I am relieved. When I arrive, it's like I am just at her house - I am at home with my mum."

Residents pay an annual fee of €28,000 (£24,300), compared with around €20,000 (£17,300) for a more conventional nursing home. However, the regional French government paid £17m to set up the village. There are about 120 villagers and the same number of healthcare professionals, with volunteers on top.

Rachel Hagan