Dutch Study Reveals Key Insights into the Lived Experiences of People with Dementia
Published: April 29, 2025
A new report from the Netherlands sheds light on the perspectives and needs of individuals living with dementia, highlighting the importance of social connection and specialized support.
Key Findings: A Closer Look at Dementia in the Netherlands
- An estimated 310,000 people in the Netherlands are currently living with dementia.
- This number is projected to rise to 500,000 by 2040 if effective treatments are not developed.
- The study emphasizes the necessity of understanding the perspectives of people with dementia to provide adequate support.
- The 2024 dementia monitor included insights from over 1,000 people with dementia, primarily in the early stages of the condition.
Quality of Life: A Declining Trend
While a majority of people with dementia report satisfaction with their lives, the study indicates a slight decline in their perceived quality of life compared to 2022.Social engagement also saw a decrease.
Even though a majority of people with dementia indicate they are satisfied with their lives, the experienced quality of life of people with dementia has slightly deteriorated compared to the measurement of 2022. Social life is also rated slightly lower than in 2022.
Did You Know?
The Netherlands is known for its innovative approaches to dementia care, including specialized villages like Hogeweyk, designed to provide a normalized living environment for residents with dementia [[1]].
Living Situation: Impact on Well-being
The study highlights disparities in the experiences of people with dementia based on their living arrangements.Those living alone or in residential care settings report feeling less valued and experience less positive social interactions compared to those living with a neighbor.
Individuals living alone also report less support from their environment and feel less prepared for the future. They participate less frequently in day activities and have less access to dementia case managers.
It is indeed critically important that attention is paid to the group of people with dementia who only lives at home or lives in a residential care location or nursing home. They feel less often a valued member of society and experience their social lives as less positive than people with dementia living together with a neighbor. in addition, alone living people experience the least often understanding and support from the environment. they also feel less often prepared for the future, while people with dementia generally feel more prepared for the future than in 2022. They also go to day activities less often and have a dementia case manager less often.
The Role of Dementia Case Managers
Dementia case managers play a crucial role in supporting people with dementia,similar to their impact on caregivers. Access to a case manager is associated with a higher quality of life, increased social engagement, and greater support from the community.
The study emphasizes the need for an adequate number of case managers to ensure that people with dementia can continue to participate in society.
This while the dementia case manager, just like for caregivers, also appears to be the most critically important form of support for people with dementia. How important the case manager is,is evident from the fact that people with dementia with a dementia case manager experience a higher quality of (social) life,do more often activities and experience more understanding,help and support from their environment.The case manager therefore plays an important role for being able to continue to participate in dementia. It is indeed thus of grate importance that there are enough case managers.
Pro Tip: Creating Dementia-Friendly Communities
Simple steps can make a big difference. Consider offering dementia awareness training to local businesses and community organizations to foster a more inclusive environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the projected increase in dementia cases in the Netherlands?
- The number of cases is expected to reach 500,000 by 2040 if no effective medication is found.
- What is the most important form of support for people with dementia?
- According to the study, a dementia case manager is the most important form of support.
- How does living situation affect people with dementia?
- People living alone or in residential care often feel less valued and have less positive social lives.
