Serene Village in China's Xi'an Offers New Approach to Alzheimer's Care

In an environment built on safety, dignity and choice, residents can move about freely

- Lee Li Ying

Nestled amid the verdant forest parks and mountain springs of the Zhouzhi Louguan eco-cultural tourism resort zone in Xi'an, China, is a one-of-its-kind village for seniors.

Here, mornings are unhurried. In the centre of the village, a man-made lake mirrors the daylight, with the sound of water gently lapping against stone. A short stroll along the lakeside brings seniors to a bright, spacious dining hall, where breakfast is served.

There is quiet chatter—even laughter—as friends greet one another, some for the third or fourth time that morning.

Afterwards, a few residents go for a light workout in a tree-lined gazebo, while others head to a calligraphy or music class.

If the place looks like a typical quaint Chinese village, that is because it was designed to mimic one as much as possible.

Clues like a post office that does not send or receive actual mail, a convenience store that uses fake currency, and bus routes that loop endlessly around the tiny compound give away the nature of the village.

Spanning over 43,000 sq m, or about the size of six football fields, the compound is an Alzheimer's disease village—a first for China. It is run by real-estate-turned-healthcare company Perennial Holdings.

Earlier in June, the Singapore-based company took journalists to tour the compound along with its healthcare facilities in other Chinese cities.

The innovative care model in the Perennial Alzheimer's Care Village Xi'an is designed for those living with a disease that progressively robs them of their memory, thinking and reasoning.

The illness is the most common disease that causes dementia, an umbrella term for symptoms ranging from confusion to changes in behaviour, to problems with language.