gms | German Medical Science

Background: A worldwide increase in the prevalence of dementia is expected due to the ageing and growth of the population. This trend also applies predominantly to Germany, increasing the question of suitable dementia care concepts. The concept of dementia villages offers a possible approach. However, there is still no overview of the evidence.

Objective: The aim is to describe the available evidence on dementia villages, particularly concerning the characteristics of dementia villages examined in studies as well as the beneficial and harmful aspects of the care concept.

Methodology: A scoping review was conducted using Pubmed and Web of Science databases with systematic search strings. In addition, a hand search and a snowball search were performed. All scientific publications in English and German were included. The screening was conducted in two steps. Both the title-abstract screening and the full-text screening were conducted independently of each other by two researchers. In case of discrepancies, a third person was consulted. In the first step, 778 references were screened.

Outcome: A total of 36 studies could be included. The initial analysis shows that the dementia village concept has not been systematically analysed to date and that few scientific contributions are available. The studies show a high heterogeneity in terms of methodology. They are predominantly descriptive qualitative studies and case analyses. Quantitative studies analysing the effects of the care concept were rarely conducted. Among other things, information was described on the characteristics of the residents, the caregivers, the care and village concept, architectural aspects, integration into the community and ethical aspects. Research on the topic comes from various disciplines, such as architecture, design, nursing science, social sciences and ethics. Most studies describe positive benefits of the concept on people with dementia (PwD), such as the preservation and promotion of autonomy, higher resilience through small groups and person-centeredness, increased acceptance of PwD in neighbouring communities, and increased satisfaction of PwD. Some studies with an ethical focus also emphasise the integration into society, while others criticise the isolation from the outside world. In addition, the widely differing opportunities for different groups of residents to participate fully in the offer are listed as limiting aspects. A limited number of studies describe which criteria should be considered when building such a facility, such as staff qualifications, community involvement and financial viability.

Implication for research: The literature analysis shows that the concept of dementia villages has not yet been sufficiently systematically researched. Qualitative studies, however, indicate that the village care concept can potentially promote the well-being of PwD. Thus, as a new care concept, it offers interesting potential that needs further investigation.

Funding: Other funding; Project name: Bedarfsanalyse und Handlungsempfehlungen zum Versorgungskonzept „Demenzdorf“ am Beispiel Nassau; G. und I. Leifheit