Frans Hoogeveen .

Area of work:
Social work, Care, Health, Expertise & support, Education

Specific field of expertise:
Psychology; Psychogeriatrics; Dementia

Type of work:
researcher, consultant / facilitator, health care provider

What does ENIEC mean to you or your work?:
Contact and collaboration with collegues in the field of old age and minority groups / people with a migration background.

More about Frans

My name is Frans Hoogeveen, and I would like to share with you my journey of over three decades in the field of psychogeriatrics and dementia care.

I live in The Hague, The Netherlands. My foundation was laid at Leiden University, where I graduated in Developmental Psychology in 1984 and subsequently earned my PhD. I soon combined that academic grounding with practice, first as a researcher and afterwards as a psychologist at the De Schildershoek nursing home in The Hague. That direct, daily care for a very diverse group of older people was an indispensable and formative experience.

From that clinical practice, I have been able to continually broaden my field of work. An important step was the move to the Florence care organisation, where I worked for a long period and came to understand the complexities of large-scale care provision. Alongside my practical work, I have devoted many years to a governance role within the profession, including serving as Chairman of the national Dutch Association for Psychogeriatrics. Another highlight was the opportunity to contribute as a Professor of Psychogeriatrics at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, helping to educate a new generation of professionals and stimulate practice-based research.

At present, I also serve on the board of ENIEC, the European Network on Intercultural Elderly Care. It is both fascinating and instructive to fulfil this role within a European association, where I work diligently with my fellow board members and share responsibility for realising ENIEC's important mission.

Bridging practice, policy, and knowledge transfer has been a common thread throughout my career. I fulfil this role as, among other things, Editor-in-Chief of the professional journal DENKBEELD, as a frequent speaker at conferences, and as an author of publications on psychogeriatrics. For many years, I found leading the Rijswijk Alzheimer Café to be one of the most direct and valuable ways to engage with family carers.

All these experiences are now combined in my work as an independently established specialist. I advise care organisations, support teams, and enjoy consulting on complex cases. My aim is always to translate accrued knowledge into tangible improvements in care and support for people with dementia and their families, a mission that continues to motivate me every day after all these years.