'Town Square' in San Diego comes complete with a 1959 black Ford Thunderbird parked outside an old school diner, a cinema advertising blockbusters such as A Streetcar Named Desire and The Greatest Show on Earth, and a news stand.
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A warehouse in the U.S. has been transformed into a 1950s town, with the aim of taking people with Alzheimer's back in time, to spark memories and provide a familiar environment.
'Town Square' comprises a 9,000-square foot space in the city of San Diego, California.
It comes complete with a 1959 black Ford Thunderbird parked outside an old school diner, a cinema advertising blockbusters such as A Streetcar Named Desire and The Greatest Show on Earth, and a news stand.
Scott Tarde, the creator of Town Square and CEO of the non-profit George G. Glenner Family Alzheimer's Centers, says it's important patients with dementia are given alternative options to residential care.
The day care centre uses tangible prompts, such as photographs, music and other familiar items and surroundings to bring back memories.
Alzheimer's Disease International says in 2017, there were approximately 50 million people with dementia globally. By 2050, that figure is expected to rise to 131.5 million.