At the 2025 Osaka World Expo, themed ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives,’ Hélène Amieva, director of the ACTIVE-BPH team, spoke at the international symposium
‘Rethinking Elder Care: From Institutional to Homelike Environments’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This event brought together, at the pavilions of Canada, Belgium and France, international experts such as Stéphane Adam from the University of Liège, Carol Hudon from Laval University, Tomoko Wakui from the University of Tokyo, and Hélène Amieva, professor of psychogerontology and director of the ACTIVE-BPH team.

Invited to discuss new approaches to elderly care focused on quality of life, autonomy and dignity for institutionalised elderly people, particularly those living with dementia, she presented the research conducted at the ” Village Landais Alzheimer Henri Emmanuelli”.

 

 

 

 

 

The French Alzheimer Village 

Opened in 2020 in the Landes region, this village welcomes 120 people living with Alzheimer’s disease in an environment designed to be a real living space: wooded park, central square, residential areas, shops and cultural spaces.

This is a unique pilot project in France that rethinks the nursing home model in favour of a welcoming, socially stimulating living environment that is open to the public, with a view to inclusivity. This alternative model also aims to change the general public’s perceptions of the disease and ageing.

 

 

The objective is to objectively evaluate the impact of this innovative scheme through the presence of psychogerontology researchers on site, who are conducting research with all those who play a role in the Village: residents, families, professionals and volunteers.

 

 

Highlighting projects such as the Village Landais Alzheimer allows us to rethink the support provided to elderly people and show how research in psychogerontology can contribute to changing public policy.

The first results are very positive, showing an improved quality of life for residents, carers and professionals alike.
Research must now continue to answer the question of whether the model can be replicated in other areas.

 

 

 

 

 

« Designing Future Society for Our Lives », the 2025 Osaka World Expo

This year, the Osaka World Expo brought together actors and innovations from around the world to respond to today’s major challenges. The theme ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’ placed ageing at the centre of discussions in Japan, which is facing rapid population ageing.

This symposium highlighted the need to rethink care environments, which are often overly medicalised and institutional, in favour of models designed to replicate a familiar ‘home-like’ atmosphere.
These initiatives offer a glimpse of the potential benefits for emotional well-being, independence, social participation and caregiver satisfaction.

 

 

The event combined a scientific and public dimension, emphasising the importance of changing public perceptions of residential care facilities for older people, while highlighting the central role of research in supporting and guiding this transformation of practices and living environments.

It contributes to the international promotion of innovative models of care for older people, illustrating the commitment of research to promoting care that respects the dignity and autonomy of older people living in institutions.

 

The Osaka 2025 World Expo, visited by over 30 million people, has increased the visibility of the human and innovative approaches promoted by our centre.

These issues are closely linked to the objectives and results of the Alzheimer’s Village project presented by Hélène Amieva.