Where age knows no bounds

During Geriatric Medicine Month, we opened Villa Vitalis in Haarlem: a temporary age-up restaurant run by active seniors.

You saw grandpas and grandmas squatting in the shopping street. Inside, there was a photo exhibition about aging by Arnoud Mooij. Restaurant Vork en Mes provided the food. Doctor Kees and Doctor Roeland gave sessions that left a lasting impression. The wait staff consisted of energetic older people. And there was a dance duet that silenced the room.

Villa Vitalis challenged preconceptions about aging. Visitors noticed how much energy, humor, and warmth there is in aging. Together, they engaged in conversation about aging vitally.

A temporary place, with a message that stays with you: growing older is not a decline, but a wonderful new phase in life.