The Man Who Built Canada’s First Dementia Village (with Elroy Jespersen)
What if dementia care could feel more like a neighborhood than an institution?
In this episode of The Dementia Collective, we sit down with Elroy Jespersen, the brainchild behind The Village Langley, Canada’s first dementia village.
Elroy shares how his formative years in a children’s home, surrounded by community and collective living, shaped his belief that people thrive best when they belong. After decades in recreation and senior living, he saw a gap in how dementia care was delivered — and set out to change it. That vision became The Village Langley, a groundbreaking community where people living with dementia live with freedom, dignity, and connection.
Together with host Andrew Karesa, Elroy reflects on:
• How his upbringing influenced his approach to community and care
• The journey from concept to reality in building Canada’s first dementia village
• Balancing freedom and safety in a new model of care
• The global attention sparked by National Geographic’s feature on The Village Langley
• What the future of dementia care could look like if we dared to reimagine it
Elroy’s story is a testament to how vision, courage, and lived experience can spark system change.
18 Years with Alzheimer’s — Jim Mann, Canada’s Leading Voice on Dementia Stigma
What if receiving a dementia diagnosis wasn’t the end of the story — but the start of something new?
In this episode, we meet Jim Mann, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2007 and has spent the years since as a leading voice in dementia advocacy across Canada. With host Andrew Karesa, Jim reflects on how the diagnosis impacted his identity, why he didn’t feel devastated by the news, and what motivated him to step into public advocacy.
Together, they explore how challenging stigma, staying connected, and focusing on contribution can shape a meaningful life — even with a progressive diagnosis.
In this episode:
• What Jim noticed before his diagnosis
• Why hearing “you have Alzheimer’s” didn’t break him
• How stigma affects people living with dementia
• Why Jim chose to become an advocate
• Strategies that support well-being over time
• What he wants caregivers to understand
Whether you’re living with dementia, supporting someone who is, or working in care, Jim’s story offers a grounded, hopeful perspective on what’s possible after diagnosis.
How Storytelling Can Strengthen Dementia Care — Karen Murdock on Voiced Memories
Caring for someone with dementia can make you feel like you’re constantly balancing between tasks and meaning — between caregiving and connection. In this episode, we meet Karen Murdock, founder of Voiced Memories, a digital storytelling platform that blends personal photos and audio narration to reduce isolation and support cognitive health.
Karen shares her own caregiving journey — from supporting a close friend through diagnosis and decline, to creating a practical, deeply human tool that helps caregivers reconnect with the person behind the diagnosis. Together with host Andrew Karesa, they explore how technology, storytelling, and community can reshape the caregiving experience. In this episode:
• Karen’s personal journey into caregiving • How Voiced Memories was born from lived experience
• The emotional weight of long-term care
• The power of stories in maintaining identity and relationships
• The three-pillar system: prevention, connection, and early detection
• How technology can enhance — not replace — human care
• An introduction to Cogimetry and the Silver Connection Network
Whether you’re a caregiver, service provider, or innovator, this conversation offers a refreshing look at how memory, voice, and design can bring people closer — even as dementia progresses.
The Power of Tools & Technology in Dementia Care
Caring for a loved one with dementia is deeply personal — and often overwhelming. In this episode, we explore how practical strategies and personalized technology can help lighten the load for family caregivers. Join Karen Tyrell, dementia care expert and founder of Dementia Solutions Inc., and Andrew Karesa, founder of blueBell Village, as they share insights on how to feel more confident, supported, and connected throughout the caregiving journey. In this episode:
• An overview about dementia and the journey
• Why technology in dementia care matters
• Different ways technology is currently being used in dementia care
• The benefits of using technology in dementia care
• Cautions and ethical considerations
• An introduction to blueBell Connect, a new tech tool built to support caregivers with real-time recommendations and care team coordination
Whether you’re supporting a parent, partner, grandparent, or friend, this conversation offers real tools, real empathy, and real hope.