In Langley, British Columbia, there’s a village that may remind you of your own: you can go for a stroll, pick up a couple of items from the grocery store or even pop by the salon. But, this particular community was purposefully built to allow for freedom and quality of life. Because every resident in this village has something in common: they’re all living with dementia.

Alan Meggy, 75, has lived at the Village Langley since August 2021. Before moving in, Alan was an avid traveller and adventurer who climbed some of the highest peaks in the world, including in Peru, Nepal and Tanzania. He also raced cars.

“Alan has the most adventurous life of anybody I know,” said his friend of over 20 years, Carole Chesham. “He has climbed several very difficult mountains. … He’s cycled all over, fully loaded. That means with tents, sleeping bags, stove, food, everything.”

Meggy was even living on a boat he called the “Pirasea” until it became too difficult for him.

“He couldn’t remember how to work the washing machine. It was just little things that he’d never had trouble with before that became a problem,” Chesham said.

By coincidence, at the same time, Chesham read about the Village Langley, Canada’s very first dementia village — and the assisted living care community was having an open house. She says she remembers being impressed by her visit and asked Meggy and his sister-in-law if they wanted to take a look at The Village as well, so they did. Then, Meggy put down a deposit.

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Global News
May 6, 2023