Looking Differently Is Doing Differently
A more humane approach to dementia begins with ordinary freedoms, shared responsibility and the right to keep living fully.
November 20, 2025
Dutch healthcare innovator and humanitarian activist Teun Toebes invites us to see dementia not just as a medical condition to be managed, but as a shared societal challenge. His work emphasizes quality of life, ordinary days, meaningful connection, and personal freedom alongside clinical needs. Rather than focusing solely on treatment or risk avoidance, he encourages us to support people in living fully, with all the joys and everyday risks that come with being human.
Three Shifts Teun Envisions to Reinvite People With Dementia Back Into Community
1. Dementia Is Not Just a Care Problem. It’s a Societal One.
When dementia is viewed only through a healthcare lens, the broader community can feel it’s someone else’s responsibility. Teun Toebes challenges that notion, reminding us that the way we design neighborhoods, shape culture, and create policy often has a greater impact on daily life than any single medical intervention.
His call is to widen the circle, inviting neighbors, city planners, employers, faith communities, and artists alike to see themselves as part of the solution. At its heart, his message is simple: When we build a world that supports people living with dementia, we create a richer, more humane society for everyone.
2. Redefining Care Through Everyday Moments
More technology, more funding, more beds. These alone don’t guarantee better outcomes.
Teun Toebes invites us to pause and ask different questions: How can we use the resources we already have in ways that truly matter? What makes life feel like living?
Often, it’s the simple things: a shared meal, a door that opens to fresh air, music, touch, or a quiet walk in the courtyard. These moments may not fit neatly into charts or metrics, but they are just as vital to well-being as any clinical measure.
3. Normalize Life and Its Risks
Pursuing zero risk can flatten life to near-zero living.
Teun’s work calls for honest conversations with the person and their loved ones about tradeoffs: Which risks are worth taking to preserve freedom, identity, and joy?
This isn’t neglect. It’s balance, consent, and dignity.
