ABSTRACT
Key goals of innovative dementia care environments are to increase autonomy, support independence, and enable the persons’ own lifestyle for as long as possible. Innovative, small-scale, and homelike care environments have radically changed the physical, social, and organisational aspects of dementia care settings to accomplish these goals. They reflect a common care concept, focusing on persons’ remaining strengths, providing opportunity for choice, and aiming to sustain a sense of self and control.
This chapter discusses scientific evidence on the impact and value of care farms and other small-scale, homelike models on older people living with dementia, their family caregivers, and staff. It explores how the interrelatedness of physical, social, and organisational components of a long-term care environment affects daily life. The environments are sustainable within current funding schemes in respective countries. Strategies may be transferable to other care settings as well and help understand how to support a culture change movement within long-term care.
