LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — An Eastern Kentucky University faculty member recently traveled to the Netherlands to study Hogeweky, a 'dementia village' just outside of Amsterdam. She hopes to introduce that model to Kentucky.
"There's a theater and grocery store and restaurants, hair salons, anything you can imagine," said Adria Thompson. "Individuals with dementia can leave their homes whenever they like, and walk into whatever building they want, and everyone they encounter has been trained to work with people with dementia."
Along with being faculty at EKU, Thompson is also a speech language pathologist with more than a decade's experience with cognitive diseases.
"We have to be more accepting of seeing people with dementia, of people with dementia being active parts of our society, and listening really to what they want," said Thompson.
Reda Harrison, a friend of Thompson's, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's eight years ago. Harrison drives, goes to support groups and engages in public speaking about the disease, with her service dog Dolly by her side.
"It would be great to have a whole community of people that's going through what we are going through," said Harrison. "The saying is if you see one person with Alzheimer's you know one person with Alzheimer's, because we all look different."
Harrison says there seems to be more conversations happening surrounding cognitive diseases and research.
"It's changed everything, it's given us hope, I don't expect to have a cure for me, it would be awesome if I could find a cure for my children and my grandchildren," said Harrison.
Thompson tells LEX18 she hopes her knowledge about the dementia village could translate to something similar being created in Kentucky.
"The world and culture our country has created is a more medical, sterile type of care, and that's a product of our culture," said Thompson. "We can't copy and paste what they're doing in the Netherlands in the United States because our culture does not align."
She says all it takes is a shift in mindset to get the ball rolling towards acceptanc and support. Harrison agrees.
"Don't shun us," said Harrison. "So many people are uncomfortable around us, that they don't want to be around us, so that makes us worse because we need to be social."
Thompson says if you notice cognitive symptoms start to impact your normal routines - regardless of your age - see a doctor.
