Blue 'don't forget me flowers' mark a new walking route near De Strijp and Waterhof residential care centres in The Hague. The trail helps people with dementia find their way around familiar surroundings, supporting their independence and helping them stay involved in neighbourhood life.
Opened by Ralf Sluijs, The Hague’s Deputy Mayor for Care and Welfare, the route combines practical guidance with public awareness. Recognisable flower symbols help residents find their way, while encouraging neighbours and passers-by to be mindful of people with dementia who want to remain active in their community.
The initiative supports a wider shift towards open-door policies in residential care. More care organisations are giving people with dementia greater freedom to move around and go outside. Clear, recognisable routes can help make that freedom safer and more accessible.
“People with dementia belong in our community. They should be able to continue taking part in life in their own neighbourhood for as long as possible. The 'don't forget me' trail is a good example of how we are working together towards a dementia-friendly The Hague, where people with dementia have the freedom to go outside, meet others and stay involved.”
Ralf Sluijs, The Hague’s Deputy Mayor for Care and Welfare
The City works with care organisations to identify suitable routes, assess which facilities are needed and consider how these can fit into the surrounding area. Residents, care staff and loved ones contribute their experiences, with each route adapted to the needs of its location.
“At WZH, we believe it is important that people with dementia can continue living their own lives as much as possible. The forget-me-not trail helps them go outside independently and safely, and remain part of their familiar surroundings. We are therefore very pleased with this trail and those still to come.”
Anne Kroezen, a member of WZH’s executive board.
Forget-me-not trails have already been introduced in several parts of The Hague, including Scheveningen, Loosduinen, Escamp and Ockenburgh. Another route is planned for Bezuidenhout.
In The Hague, each trail began as an initiative by a care organisation, working with the City to find practical solutions, including where routes cross land outside municipal ownership. The wider Dutch initiative, Vergeet-mij-niet-pad, was developed in 2017 by landscape architect Sanne Janssen and designer Gerjanne van Gink during the ‘Dementia in Public Space’ project, supported by the Creative Industries Fund NL and the City of Rotterdam. Since the first trail opened in Rotterdam’s Ommoord neighbourhood, the concept has been adopted in locations across the Netherlands. Through a network of cities and care homes, the initiative provides advice, stencils and permanent tiles to help communities create their own trails. Its aim extends beyond marking a route: the blue flowers encourage everyone to recognise and respond to the needs of people with dementia, helping make everyday public spaces more welcoming and accessible.
