Teun Toebes was just seventeen when he first stepped inside a Dutch care home and found himself on a locked ward where residents could not leave. The experience left him convinced that the way society treats dementia has gone badly off course. Together with filmmaker Jonathan de Jong, Toebes has turned that early shock into a documentary and book called Human Forever, which explores how giving people with dementia more autonomy – through pets, cooking sessions and solitary walks – can transform their lives. The pair discussed their findings on the Today in Focus podcast, hosted by Helen Pidd, with production by Saskia Collette and Brian McNamara and executive oversight from Sami Kent and Homa Khaleeli. The episode aired on Wednesday 9 September 2026 at 22:00 EDT and was updated the following morning.
A Nurse’s First Steps Inside a Closed Ward
Toebes recalls entering the “closed ward” as a student nurse and being struck by the sight of residents confined behind doors that never opened. He described the scene as a vivid illustration of how the care system had “lost the plot” when it comes to dementia. That moment, he says, planted the seed for a lifelong quest to question why freedom is routinely stripped from people living with cognitive decline. The memory remains sharp, even years later, and forms the emotional core of his advocacy work.
Global Lessons in Freedom‑Centred Care
During their international tour, the duo encountered programmes that integrated animals into daily life, encouraged residents to prepare meals together and facilitated unsupervised walks in safe, familiar neighbourhoods. In one Scandinavian facility, residents cared for a small flock of chickens, reporting improved mood and reduced agitation. In a Japanese community centre, cooking workshops allowed people with dementia to follow recipes at their own pace, fostering a sense of achievement. These models, Toebes and de Jong argue, demonstrate that risk can be managed without resorting to blanket restrictions, and that the benefits of autonomy often outweigh perceived dangers.
The filmmakers stress that their proposal is not a call to abandon safety measures but to redesign them around the individual’s capabilities and wishes. They advocate for regular risk assessments that are person‑specific, staff training that emphasises empowerment, and environmental adjustments – such as clear signage and accessible outdoor spaces – that enable movement without constant supervision.
Responses and the Road Ahead
Since the podcast episode aired, reactions have been mixed but largely enthusiastic among care professionals seeking alternatives to traditional lock‑down models. Some commentators have warned that scaling such approaches requires significant investment and a cultural shift within institutions that have long prioritised containment over choice. Toebes and de Jong acknowledge these challenges but remain optimistic, pointing to pilot projects in Germany and Canada that have shown measurable reductions in antipsychotic medication use and improvements in quality‑of‑life scores after implementing freedom‑focused programmes.
The duo hopes that Human Forever will stimulate policy discussions at both national and European levels, encouraging funders to support innovative care models and regulators to reconsider outdated safeguards that inadvertently hinder wellbeing. They plan to release a series of short educational videos aimed at care home managers, illustrating practical steps toward more liberating environments.
Why it Matters
Reimagining dementia care around personal freedom addresses a fundamental ethical concern: people living with cognitive decline retain the right to make choices about their lives, even when those choices involve manageable risk. Evidence from the showcased programmes suggests that autonomy can reduce distress, lower reliance on medication and enhance social engagement, ultimately delivering better outcomes for residents and reducing strain on caregivers. By highlighting concrete, working examples, Toebes and de Jong offer a roadmap that could reshape standards of care, ensuring that dignity and liberty are not lost in the pursuit of safety.
