Dementia-Friendly Neighbourhoods: From Assessment to Impact

An increasing number of people with dementia are living independently at home for longer. This raises important questions for neighbourhoods and communities: Is the environment accessible? Do people feel welcome and included? Do neighbours know how to offer support? In the Buurt aan Zet (Neighbourhoods Taking Action) project, researchers from The Hague University of Applied Sciences will follow six neighbourhoods across the Netherlands over a period of 27 months. Together with residents, people living with dementia, family carers, municipalities and Alzheimer Nederland, we investigate how dementia-friendly neighbourhoods are, which actions truly make a difference, and what benefits these actions bring to local communities.

Project Background

Pressure on informal caregivers and healthcare systems continues to increase as more people with dementia remain living at home. At the same time, there is still limited knowledge about what neighbourhoods need in order to support this transition effectively. In early 2026, the Social Domain Living Lab of The Hague and Leiden, together with Alzheimer Nederland, developed and validated the Dementia-Friendly Cities and Communities Questionnaire (DFCCQ). Based on the ten domains of the World Health Organization (WHO), this assessment tool places the experiences of residents, with and without dementia, at its core. This project builds on that foundation by linking assessment outcomes to concrete actions and measurable impacts.

More and more people with dementia are living at home for longer, and that requires something from all of us. Through this project, residents can see for themselves and help shape how their neighbourhood becomes more dementia-friendly. That is exactly where research can make a difference: close to people, collaborative, and with real impact.

- Loes Verdoes MSc, Lecturer in Nursing and Researcher

Objective

To gain insight into how neighbourhoods can become more dementia-friendly, enabling people with dementia to live longer, more independently and more comfortably in their own communities.

Target Group

The project focuses on people living with dementia and their family members, residents of participating neighbourhoods, and local communities as a whole. Municipalities, healthcare organisations, policymakers and community initiatives will also benefit from the knowledge, tools and practical recommendations generated by the project.

Method

The project combines quantitative and qualitative research methods in six contrasting neighbourhoods: three selected through municipalities and three initiated through community-led initiatives. In each neighbourhood, baseline, interim and final assessments are conducted using the DFCCQ questionnaire and Alzheimer Nederland’s Dementia Scan. Interviews, focus groups and field observations provide additional insight into local contexts, implementation processes and outcomes.

Results

Each participating neighbourhood will receive a community dashboard showing its level of dementia-friendliness and developments over time. The project will also produce a cross-case analysis identifying what works, for whom, and under which circumstances. Findings will be translated into a practical guide for municipalities, community initiatives and healthcare organisations. Scientific publications, professional articles, knowledge-sharing events, a midterm meeting and a final symposium will ensure broad dissemination. All outputs will be freely available and reusable.

Impact

The project addresses a major societal challenge: enabling people with dementia to live independently and comfortably at home for as long as possible. By actively involving residents, including people living with dementia themselves, the project goes beyond measuring neighbourhoods and helps mobilise local action. Municipalities, policymakers and community organisations will gain practical tools to create more inclusive and supportive environments. Within The Hague University of Applied Sciences, the project strengthens research within the Urban Ageing research group and provides valuable learning opportunities for students in Nursing and the Master’s programme Transition to Health and Wellbeing.

More Information

• Urban Ageing research group, The Hague University of Applied Sciences
• Alzheimer Nederland
• Dementia Scan

Additional publications and media coverage will be added throughout the project.

Duration

May 2026 – July 2028 (27 months)

Funding

This project is funded by Alzheimer Nederland.

Collaboration

• Alzheimer Nederland
• Local support centres
• Healthcare organisations
• Municipalities
• Community hubs and citizen initiatives in the participating neighbourhoods

Team

• Loes Verdoes, Lecturer in Nursing and Researcher
• Jeroen Dikken, Senior Researcher, Urban Ageing research group
• Joost van Hoof, Professor of Urban Ageing

Steering Committee

Joost van Hoof (Chair), Dinant Bekkenkamp, Minke Kooistra, Miriam van Meerten, Anne de Boer and Vera Otten (Alzheimer Nederland).

Contact

Loes Verdoes MSc
Lecturer in Nursing and Researcher
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: +31 6 48072138