Who are you and where do you get your energy from in your work?
My name is Xandra and I am the coordinator of Huis van de Tijd. We are a meeting place for people with memory problems and dementia. We work according to the social approach: we focus on the person, not on the disease. We start from what is still possible – and that is much more than people often think. When someone needs support in certain areas, of course we provide it, but personal autonomy always comes first.
Everyone at Huis van de Tijd is equal: staff members, volunteers, interns and, of course, our participants – everyone has a valuable contribution. Although there are changes over time, the strong sense of togetherness and friendship always remains. That dynamic, and the fact that it continues to work every time, makes me proud. Together, we have built an incredibly beautiful community here.
What do local residents not yet know about you, but should they?
That we really value connection with the neighbourhood. For example, on Monday mornings there is Tai Chi in the Hoftuin (or in cold weather in the greenhouse of the Diaconie), where neighbours also join in. The same goes for the painting class on Thursdays. We visit museums and organize musical gatherings where everyone is welcome to take part. I would love to expand this even further.
Our house is open. Neighbours are welcome to simply walk in for a cup of coffee. I also want to show that volunteering doesn’t have to be complicated at all – and that it can be really enjoyable to do something for someone else. I truly believe that we can create a more loving community together, and that this mainly happens through small, everyday moments.
Is there anything coming up soon that neighbours can join?
Yes! On 23 December we will sing Christmas carols, weather permitting in the Hoftuin, followed by a cosy gathering with mulled wine. Singing is such a beautiful thing. Especially for people with a ‘hesitant brain’, it almost works like magic: suddenly everyone knows the lyrics, everyone enjoys it, and you truly do it together. It creates a strong sense of connection.
What is your hidden gem in the Plantage neighbourhood?
For me, that is the Hoftuin. It may not be completely unknown, but it truly is an oasis in the city. We have the great privilege that Huis van de Tijd borders this garden. We maintain our own flowerbed there together with participants and volunteers. It is full of flowers, so we have fresh flowers in the house all summer long.
We find the atmosphere inside Huis van de Tijd very important – it really has to feel like home – and flowers are part of that. The Hoftuin is also a social green space where all kinds of people from the city meet.
Tom, the previous interviewee, had a question for you:
“What is the most beautiful memory you have experienced with your participants in the Plantage neighbourhood?”
We experience so many beautiful moments here – from trips to ARTIS to walks through the neighbourhood – but one moment has stayed with me in particular. For several years now, we have been visiting the Amsterdam Light Festival. Last year, I was walking back with a participant from the boat towards Nieuwe Sint Jacob. About ten minutes later I said, “It was beautiful, wasn’t it?” And she asked, “What did we do?”
At first, that shocked me a little. But later I realised: it’s in her body. She may no longer be able to name exactly what we did, but the feeling of having experienced something beautiful together is definitely still there. You can’t always capture happiness in words; sometimes it is a physical experience. That goes for the Light Festival, but also for many small, everyday moments in the neighbourhood. The Plantage is a wonderfully beautiful, gentle neighbourhood where people experience things you may not always be able to put your finger on — but that still stay with you.
Why is it important for local residents to get to know Huis van de Tijd and take part?
I think it’s important that people know we are here. Maybe you don’t need us now, but one day you might – or your partner, neighbour, or friend might.
In addition, we truly need to (re)learn that we are a society together. People with dementia simply belong in that society. In Amsterdam, one in five people will be affected by dementia; we cannot afford to exclude people. Neighbours without memory problems can learn a great deal: about patience, about slowing down, about living together. And it doesn’t have to be anything big. Having coffee together, or painting together.
Every Friday, we go litter picking in the neighbourhood and together we keep the Hortustunnel clean. We invite neighbours to join us. Afterwards, we have a cup of coffee together at Huis van de Tijd – these are simple things, but they make a world of difference. You make the neighbourhood more beautiful, cleaner and more humane.
View the full agenda of all activities here.
Who do you pass the baton to, and with what question?
I pass the baton to Artsen zonder Grenzen on the Plantage Middenlaan. My question to them is:
“Your work takes place all over the world, often in crisis and war zones. What does it mean to you to be based in the Plantage neighbourhood? Does this green, calm area help you – and the people who return here to the office after intense missions – to catch your breath again? And what do you yourselves take from this neighbourhood into your worldwide work?”