Teun Toebes’ Moving World Journey: The Documentary “Human Forever” Sheds Much-needed New Light on Dementia Care

Step into Teun Toebes’ captivating world journey as we explore the eye-opening documentary ‘Human Forever,’ shedding much-needed new light on the realm of dementia care.

Teun, 24, has dedicated himself to a mission to improve the quality of life of people living with dementia. Een missie die hem niet alleen naar verschillende hoeken van de wereld leidde, maar ook tot een bewuste keuze bracht om al drie jaar te wonen op een gesloten afdeling voor mensen met dementie. This unique experience has profoundly shaped his vision of healthcare and drives his global quest for better healthcare solutions.

In the video above, watch the exclusive interview we had with Teun at his home in the care home in Amstelveen.

‘Human Forever’ – A Global Look at Dementia Care

Together with filmmaker Jonathan de Jong, Teun created the documentary ‘Human Forever’, for which they visited 11 countries on four continents.

They searched everywhere for inspiring examples of how things can be done differently.

It is very encouraging to see that there are alternatives and that things really can be different, not only within the Netherlands, but also in other countries such as South Africa and South Korea. – Teun Toebes

Gemeenschap Staat Centraal

In South Africa’s townships, where nursing homes are lacking, community is at the heart of care. Here, Teun spoke to Arlene, who cares for her father David. Arlene stressed, “I consider it an honour to take care of my father.”

“People are living together much more. In the western world, we often see care as a burden,” Teun observes. He stresses the need to learn from other cultures, with South Korea’s government prioritising dementia prevention by focusing on good lifestyles, for example.

The Power of Personal Touch

Teun talks about his experiences in a care home in Belgium, where he learned that:

“The power of the care lies in the hands that give it”

Teun met a committed ward manager in Belgium who will lay in bed with a resident to provide security, instead of, in this case, sedative medication. “Love and security, which works so well,” Teun tells us.

The Challenge of Culture Change

“When we start looking differently at people with dementia, we also start acting differently. Looking differently is always doing differently.”

He stresses the humane unsustainability of the current system and calls for a culture change that sees people with dementia as people and not patients.

Collaborating For A Better Future

Teun’s journey reveals that a change in perspective and a return to community care can be the key to a better quality of life for people with dementia. He calls for social change in which everyone has a role to play.

The aforementioned stories are just a glimpse of what ‘Human Forever’ has to offer. There is so much more to discover in this in-depth documentary. The many stories and examples offer a hopeful picture of how we as a society can provide better care for people with dementia.

To find out where the documentary can be viewed, check out the Human Forever website. On the Human Forever website, you can sign up to be kept informed.

We have known Teun for several years and have made multiple videos with him when he was mainly involved in creating moments of happiness for people with dementia. Read more about it here.