“Acting on quality of life, on anxiety, on mental health, is a way to slow, at least modestly, the rate of cognitive decline.” She acknowledges this approach doesn’t come cheap. The project costs around €7 million a year, largely funded by the French government. Residents pay an annual fee of €28,000 (£24,200), compared with around €20,000 (£17,300) for a more conventional nursing home. Professor Amieva concludes: “It is more costly. But if it is associated with a clear better quality of life of villagers, what do we want?” It is a thought-provoking question. Perhaps with a different, more holistic approach, it is possible to life a good life with Alzheimer's disease.
