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Retired Dutch fishermen with dementia can set sail again without leaving their care home

“Quo Vadis” is an interactive boat that provides a multi-sensory experience for residents of the retirement home, many of whom suffer from dementia, helping to trigger happy memories.

Artists Create Interactive Boat In The Garden Of A Home For People With Dementia

After working on it on and off for almost a year, Front 404, Dutch artists Thomas voor ‘t Hekke and Bas van Oerle, recently finished an interactive boat installation that serves as the centerpiece of the inner garden of the Nieuw Rijsenburgh retirement home in the Netherlands. It was named Quo Vadis, which is Latin for “Whither goest thou?” or “Where are you traveling?”  — Quo Vadis provides a multi-sensory interactive experience for residents of the home, many of whom spent their younger years working on the water or in the harbour, and now suffer from dementia.

Front 404 first bought an old Norwegian sloop from the 1940s that was rotting away and converted it to be placed in the garden, adding a walkway, a comfy bench and most importantly, a wheelhouse.

The boat is the centerpiece of the inner garden of the Nieuw Rijsenburgh retirement home in the Netherlands Front 404 first bought an old Norwegian sloop from the 1940s that was rotting away and converted it to be placed in the garden, adding a walkway, a comfy bench and most importantly, a wheelhouse. Source: Front404

The pair created the interactive boat because Nieuw Rijsenburgh is located on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee, and many of its’ residents spent their younger years working on the water or in the harbour, and they wanted to create familiar sensory experiences for the residents.
Front 404, Dutch artists Thomas voor ‘t Hekke and Bas van Oerle made the boat The pair created the interactive boat because Nieuw Rijsenburgh is located on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee, and many of its’ residents spent their younger years working on the water or in the harbour, and they wanted to create familiar sensory experiences for the residents. Source: Front404
They can use the wheel to steer the boat and watch the physical compass match the new course. The wheelhouse is filled with the familiar sounds of the wooden boat creaking, the engine chugging along, the waves lapping against the boat and the seagulls calling. A vintage radio provides multiple channels of well-known Dutch fisherman’s songs and sea shanties from residents’ youths to stir their memories.
In the wheelhouse of the boat residents look out over a calm sea with seagulls flying through the air. They can use the wheel to steer the boat and watch the physical compass match the new course. The wheelhouse is filled with the familiar sounds of the wooden boat creaking, the engine chugging along, the waves lapping against the boat and the seagulls calling. A vintage radio provides multiple channels of well-known Dutch fisherman’s songs and sea shanties from residents’ youths to stir their memories. Source: Front404
Music therapy for example, using familiar old songs, has shown to greatly increase quality of life for many patients, making them more active and engaged, and decreasing behavioural problems.
Research has shown that engaging dementia patients with familiar sensory experiences can reconnect them to old memories and activate parts of the brain not affected by their disease. Music therapy for example, using familiar old songs, has shown to greatly increase quality of life for many patients, making them more active and engaged, and decreasing behavioural problems. Source: Front404
Or simply for when they just want to sit and enjoy the sun and listen to the music and sounds from the wheelhouse.
On the deck of the boat there is also a large comfy place to sit for less mobile residents Or simply for when they just want to sit and enjoy the sun and listen to the music and sounds from the wheelhouse. Source: Front404
The boat was was named Quo Vadis, Latin for “Whither goest thou?” or “Where are you traveling?”
QUO VADIS The boat was was named Quo Vadis, Latin for “Whither goest thou?” or “Where are you traveling?” Source: Front404
Retired fishermen with dementia can set sail again without leaving their care home The interactive boat that serves as the centerpiece of the inner garden of the Nieuw Rijsenburgh retirement home in the Netherlands. Source: Facebook/BrightVibes
They mostly make interactive installations, using easily accessible and direct interaction as a means to reach people in innovative, meaningful and playful ways. They try to reach people in unexpected and unusual ways, in the conviction that memorable and fun experiences are the best way to get them to look at the world in a new light. Much of FRONT404’s work is dedicated to their quest to make the world a more playful place. Their work has been exhibited in Amsterdam, Brussels, New York, Austin, Stockholm, Montreal, Kuwait City and Beijing, among others.
FRONT404 is a Dutch duo of artists consisting of Thomas voor ‘t Hekke and Bas van Oerle. They mostly make interactive installations, using easily accessible and direct interaction as a means to reach people in innovative, meaningful and playful ways. They try to reach people in unexpected and unusual ways, in the conviction that memorable and fun experiences are the best way to get them to look at the world in a new light. Much of FRONT404’s work is dedicated to their quest to make the world a more playful place. Their work has been exhibited in Amsterdam, Brussels, New York, Austin, Stockholm, Montreal, Kuwait City and Beijing, among others. Source: Front404
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