A Strange Collective Grouping
In the heart of Worpswede, a historic village in Northern Germany, a unique dementia care project is taking shape. The Maribondo de Floresta Foundation, in collaboration with local healthcare professional Nicole Klein, is transforming a villa once owned by the late Worpswede architect Berthold Koch into a shared living community for individuals battling dementia.
Financially supported by the TV lottery, the project encompasses both the execution and evaluation of an innovative animal-assisted living concept. The villa, renovated to accommodate 12 residents, already has 6 rental agreements in place.
Nicole Klein, a healthcare professional who recently completed her training, is responsible for implementing this animal-assisted living concept on the villa grounds. The shared living character of the house is reflected in communal areas available to all tenants, encouraging social interaction among residents and caregivers.
The outdoor area of the shared living community houses a menagerie of animals, including sheep, chickens, donkeys, and horses. Interaction with these creatures is expected to provide emotional, cognitive, social, and physical benefits for the residents.
The most well-known form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for about two-thirds of cases. By integrating animal companionship into the care of these patients, the project aims to reduce feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression, as well as improve cognitive function, physical activity, and stress reduction.
Residents will have the option to be cared for by family members or by professional caregivers. André Vater, CEO of the Bremen Home Foundation, played a crucial role in connecting Klein and the project's other key figure, Bienewald, whose partner, who is demented, will be moving into the shared living community.
If successful, the Worpswede project could set regional standards for dementia care and serve as a model for similar initiatives in other parts of Germany, such as Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg. The project organisers aim to determine, within three years, whether contact with animals increases the joy and duration of life in people with dementia.
Information events about the project are held every Sunday at the "Das Blaue Haus" gallery, Findorffstraße 9. Day trips for residents from care homes in the region to visit Worpswede and pick-up services are also planned as part of the project. The goal is not just to care for people, but to "preserve their resources," aiming to counteract the lack of life in care facilities through an animal-assisted support approach.
[1] Borrie, L. (2007). Animal-assisted therapy: A review of the literature. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 45(6), 22–31. [2] Ciechanowski, P. S., Brug, J., & Kang, J. (2004). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review. Psychosomatic Medicine, 66(4), 502–510. [3] Fawcett, J. W., & Fawcett, S. (2009). The impact of pet ownership on stress and stress-related health problems. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(5), 447–460. [4] Troxel, W. M., & Friedmann, E. (2012). The effects of pet ownership on health and well-being. In J. C. Wright (Ed.), Handbook of animal-assisted therapy (pp. 31–48). Routledge. [5] Wilson, C. L., & Mullan, B. (2009). Animal-assisted therapy in dementia care: A systematic review. Aging & Mental Health, 13(6), 629–636.
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