It is estimated that 5.4 million Americans have some form of dementia and these numbers are expected to rise in the coming decades, leading to an unprecedented demand for memory care housing and services. At the same time, infectious disease outbreaks like the COVID-19 pandemic have raised great concerns for the future of care settings for people living with dementia. In searching for innovative options to create more autonomy and better quality of life in dementia care settings, while at the same time improving infectious disease control, repurposing existing structures, in particular vacant urban malls, may be one option for the large sites needed for the European model of dementia villages. This editorial paper makes the case for the Dementia Friendly City Center model for centralized dementia programs, medical services and housing. By working across multiple disciplines, this research team has simultaneously addressed numerous issues, including community revitalization, building sustainability, and the strengthening of infectious disease control in care sites which are inclusive, progressive and convergent with the needs of an aging population.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; COVID-19; adaptive re-use; dementia care; housing; infectious disease control; person-centered care; skilled nursing facilities; small house model; vulnerable populations.