About company

Nursing home De Houttuinen belongs to a larger care and nursing chain Zorgbalans and is located on the border between Haarlem and Heemstede in the Netherlands. The elderly live in a “house” in an independent apartment with its own front door and living room, where the residents run the household together with about nine other residents and a permanent small team of employees. In this way, they can continue to live their own life, as they are used to.
The residents can move freely in the large spacy facility and meet other residents or family in, for example, their own Grand Café or the inner gardens. In bad weather they hardly need to leave the house for entertainment; here are i.a. own shop, hairdresser and cinema.
The accommodation is run according to the motto “Large on a small scale” where with very professional help, guidance and entertainment it is possible for people with dementia to live independent lifes.

Solution

In 2013, the board of Zorgbalans decided to invest in a solar room – Beach room for the seniors in order to:

• Rise the quality of life for the elderly
• Contribute to their physical and mental health
• Enable social activity where the elderly can meet in an orderly manner
• Let the elderly join a pleasant place with their relatives.

Sunwell delivered solar simulator Trippel that was installed in a very special round-shaped room with wonderful space and hight ceiling.

Result

The beach room is very popular among all the special activities that De Houttuinen offers the elderly with dementia. Sitting in the sun and hearing the waves and seagulls gives peace of mind and facilitates the search for memories. It’s easy to dream back to school trips to Parnasse Beach, when the warm sun from Sunwell caresses the face and the sand slides between the toes. Simply a holiday in the house!
The care staff also noticed that several residents have got a better and longer sleep since they started using sunlight therapy.