Construction begins on Agrace's Dementia Village, focused on independence

Thursday, May 21, 2026

As reported by Ryan Lynch, WKOW-27

Construction has officially started on Agrace’s Ellen & Peter Johnson Dementia Village, a revolutionary dementia care facility in Madison.

The village helps residents with cognitive decline maintain their independence. There will be eight homes with eight people each, meant to simulate a family environment.

“Too often, as dementia progresses, a person’s world steadily gets smaller, and it’s not because their caregivers have poor intentions, but [because] they want to keep their loved ones safe,” said Agrace CEO Lynne Sexten. “Here we’re building an environment where safety and autonomy can coexist.”

WKOW previously reported on the village and what it’s expected to look like. More information is available here.