A dementia diagnosis changes the whole map of a family, and the systems we rely on often make it harder, not easier. What happens when dementia care begins with the person...not the diagnosis?Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess welcome Andrew Karesa, founder of blueBell Village and host of The Dementia Collective. Andrew is deeply committed to advancing the Indigenous community while driving transformative change within the dementia care landscape. Andrew is also an Adjunct Professor of Indigenous Business at The King's University and a doctoral candidate at the Haskayne School of Business, University of CalgaryInspired by his family’s experience caring for his grandmother Shirley Bell, Andrew originally set out to build a dementia village. When that vision encountered the realities of funding and construction, it evolved into blueBell Connect, a digital platform created to help families and professional caregivers communicate, coordinate care, and find support tailored to the individual. With blueBell, Andrew has seen lives transformed for both individuals living with dementia and their caregivers, and he is passionate about fostering a world where care is tailored to each individual’s needs.Together, they explore why one-size-fits-all dementia care fails; the importance of understanding a person’s history, culture, language, and preferences; and how patience, music, technology, and simple moments of connection can preserve dignity and joy. Susie and Don also share moving stories about their mothers, from giving a loved one time to process a painful loss to watching music and grandchildren reach places words no longer could.At its heart, this hopeful conversation reminds us that people living with dementia are still present, still communicating, and still worthy of autonomy and individualized care and that love sometimes means learning to speak their language.Plus, Susie shares how listeners can join the September 27 National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform and help make long-term care everyone’s concern.Subscribe, share this with a caregiver, and leave a review so more families can find real support.Learn more:blueBell Village InstagramYouTubeFacebookROAR 4 LTC:Andrew Karesa on LinkedInblueBell VillageblueBell ConnectThe Dementia CollectiveApple PodcastsSpotifySend us Fan MailIf someone you love experienced neglect in a nursing home…Then you know how desperately the system needs to change. History has shown us that It takes people power to change anything worthwhile. That’s why we we’re launching something that’s never been done before. On September 27, communities across the country are coming together for the first-ever National Long-Term Care Reform Day.This is a peaceful national walk for dignity, accountability, and change in long-term care.We’rSupport the showNo Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r) Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.Please watch. Review. Share.Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT (Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, Reform) for quality long term care! Visit the ROAR 4 LTC Website for more information and consider participating in the inaugural National National Long-Term Care Day, Sunday, September 27th The 1st ever ROAR 2026 National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform! Found out more here: https://www.roar4ltc.org/roar-2026-walkFollow us on Twitter, FB, IG, & TiK Tok 💜 Listen on your favorite platform 💜 If you like what you hear leave us some love. 💜
