As part of an ongoing collaboration, Alzheimer Netherlands and the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) have come up with a new initiative to raise awareness for Dementia in the Netherlands — and it’s extremely wholesome.
As part of the “GOED omgaan met dementie in het openbaar vervoer” (dealing well with dementia in public transport) campaign, the NS is setting up realistic train compartments in nursing homes throughout the Netherlands.💺
A trip down memory lane with the NS train
“Everyone loves travelling,” says the NS — but what if travelling becomes impossible due to dementia?
Well, with the creation of a realistic looking train compartment, Alzheimer Nederland and NS are trying to imitate that Dutch train-feeling in nursing homes throughout the country. 🚅
This initiative will allow the elderly to re-experience what it was like to travel by train – without the stress of cancelled rides and overcrowded carriages.
Stimulating the senses
In the typical NS-style compartment — featuring real train seats, tables, and even the little NS garbage cans — residents of 12 nursing homes in all 12 provinces of the Netherlands will be given the opportunity to relive happy memories of travelling.
All from the comfort and safety of their home.
The mini-carriage will be placed in the common areas of the nursing homes, so that residents with dementia and their families can sit down in them.
Over a cup of coffee and a nice conversation, they can look out the ‘window’ — in which images will show the landscape of NS’s Amsterdam to Alkmaar route. Super leuk! ☕️
Though people generally have no shame openly expressing dissatisfaction with the NS, we think it’s safe to say that this is a great initiative!
Dementia in the Netherlands
Dementia is the general term used for the loss of abilities such as memory, language and problem-solving.
At the moment, there are approximately 290,000 people living with dementia in the Netherlands, but these numbers are expected to rise drastically.
READ MORE | Netherlands ranks #2 among high-income countries for healthcare
By 2030, the number of dementia patients is expected to reach around 420,000, and 520,000 by 2050. With these high numbers, dementia is set to become one of the leading causes of death in the Netherlands.
Meaning thoughtful initiatives such as this are exactly what we need. 🧡
What are your thoughts on NS’s travelling train compartment? Let us know what you think!