As the old African proverb says, "It takes a village to raise a child," but it seems that same wisdom may also hold true when it comes to caring for elderly Alzheimer's patients.

Rather than placing them in traditional memory care units, some groups charged with the care of these special seniors are taking a more innovative approach.

In southwestern France near the city of Dax, a community has been created with the specific needs of its 105 residents-all of whom suffer from Alzheimer's in varying stages.

Built in the same spirit as De Hogeweyk, a purpose-built village for dementia patients in the Netherlands, it's the first such facility in France.

In addition to nursing facilities, the Landais campus includes a grocery store, hair salon, cafeteria, library, and music room.

Residents are given as much freedom as their conditions allow, and treated to numerous entertainments.

They're also encouraged to participate in daily activities that can include shopping, cooking, and regular hairstyling appointments, as it's believed sticking to a familiar routine may actually hinder the advance of the disease's worst symptoms.

"It's like being at home," 82-year-old Madeleine Elissalde, one of the village's first residents, told Reuters. "We're well looked after."

The program costs in the neighborhood of 6.7 million euros to run each year. Residents and their families kick in about 24,000 euros in annual fees, but more than half the total expense is subsidized by government authorities.

Expensive? Perhaps, but researchers at France's National Institute of Health and Medical Research Shows closely studying how such model conditions impact the progression of dementia may ultimately conclude the insights they gain for future treatment standards will be well worth the cost.

In the meantime, residents of villages in France, the Netherlands, and another prototype community in Canada are able to live out the remainder of their years with not only a measure of self-esteem, dignity, and sense of purpose but some true "liberté, égalité, et fraternité" as well.

(WATCH the video tour of this French village below.)

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