What happens to joy when dementia enters the picture? When routines change, roles shift, and caregiving becomes heavier than anyone expected, is joy still possible, or does it quietly disappear?

In this episode of The Dementia Collective, Andrew Karesa sits down with Carrie Aalberts, gerontologist, dementia educator, and founder of Dementia Darling, to explore why joy still matters in dementia care and how it can exist alongside grief, exhaustion, and uncertainty.

Carrie shares her personal journey into dementia care, shaped by her grandmother’s diagnosis and years working inside senior living, adult day programs, and community-based care. She reflects on what surprised her early on, including how often families were left without guidance, and how those experiences reshaped her understanding of dignity, empathy, and what meaningful care actually looks like.

Much of the conversation centers on joy, not as positivity or denial, but as an intentional and evolving practice. Carrie explains how joy changes throughout the dementia journey, why it looks different than it once did, and how caregivers can find moments of connection even in the most difficult seasons. She emphasizes presence, slowing down, and letting go of unrealistic expectations placed on both caregivers and people living with dementia.

Andrew and Carrie also explore the role of children in dementia care, sharing why intergenerational spaces can foster empathy, normalize aging, and create powerful moments of connection. They discuss how community-based models challenge the isolation many families experience, and why caregiving should never be a solitary endeavor.

The conversation turns to systemic barriers in dementia care, including cost, staffing shortages, and the emotional toll placed on family caregivers who are often forced to navigate complex systems with little support. Carrie speaks candidly about burnout, grief, and the need for better structures that honor both caregivers and care workers.

Throughout the episode, they examine how technology can enhance care when used thoughtfully, from virtual reality and remote support tools to digital education platforms that meet caregivers where they are. Rather than presenting technology as a replacement for human connection, Carrie frames it as a way to reduce burden, expand access, and preserve dignity.

In this episode:

• Why joy still matters in dementia care

• How joy changes throughout the caregiving journey

• The emotional reality caregivers rarely talk about

• Why intergenerational care benefits both children and elders

• Systemic barriers families face when seeking support

• How technology can enhance connection and quality of life

• What dignity-centered dementia care really looks like

Whether you are a caregiver, a professional, or someone walking alongside a loved one with dementia, this conversation offers reassurance, honesty, and a grounded reminder that joy does not disappear with diagnosis. It changes, it deepens, and it still belongs.

Learn more at:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.bluebellvillage.ca

⁠https://www.dementiadarling.com

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or treatment. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Andrew Karesa, blueBell Village Ltd., or any of its employees, contractors, or team members.

What if The Notebook was never really a love story?Most people remember it that way.But underneath the romance, the film is doing something much more unsettling.It’s exploring what happens when memory fades… to the point that identity itself begins to break apart.In this video, we look at why The Notebook might actually be one of the most revealing films about dementia, caregiving, and the way we understand a person over time.The story quietly captures a tension that many caregivers recognize immediately:• The difference between who someone was and who they are now• Why families respond to that change in completely different ways• How care systems focus on the present, often at the expense of the past• What moments of recognition really mean… and what they don’t• And how one person can begin to feel like twoWhat makes The Notebook powerful isn’t just the love story.It’s the way it shows that memory loss isn’t only about forgetting.It’s about what happens when the continuity of a person’s life is disrupted.And that idea matters far beyond film.Because the way we understand memory shapes how we respond to aging, caregiving, and conditions like dementia.This isn’t a recap of the movie.It’s a reflection on how The Notebook captures something deeply true about identity, loss, and what it means to care for someone who is still here… but no longer the same.

What does it mean when a former governor says caregiving was harder than public office?

In this episode, Andrew Karesa sits down with former Wisconsin Governor Martin J. Schreiber, author of My Two Elaines, for a deeply personal conversation about loving, caring for, and slowly losing his wife Elaine after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Marty brings a perspective few people can offer. He has lived in the world of leadership, policy, and public responsibility, yet says the hardest role he ever held was caregiver. What unfolds in this conversation is not a political discussion, but a human one. It is about what dementia asks of a family, how caregiving changes your identity, and why so many people are unprepared for what the journey really becomes.

Together, Andrew and Marty explore the emotional reality of caring for someone whose mind is changing over time. Marty reflects on the idea behind My Two Elaines: that the woman he loved was still there, but Alzheimer’s required him to relate to her differently. In turn, he had to become a different version of himself too.

The conversation also explores the hidden toll caregiving takes on families, why caregivers must protect their own health, and what governments still fail to understand about supporting families living with dementia.

In this episode:

• Why caregiving was harder than being governor

• The meaning behind My Two Elaines

• How dementia changes both the person diagnosed and the caregiver

• Why arguing with dementia often makes things worse

• The emotional toll caregiving takes on spouses and families

• Why caregivers must protect their own health

• What policymakers still misunderstand about dementia care

Whether you are caring for a spouse, supporting a parent, or trying to understand how dementia reshapes a family, this conversation offers honesty, perspective, and a reminder that even when memory changes, connection still matters.

Learn more at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

https://www.bluebellvillage.ca

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mytwoelaines.com/index.php/about-martin/

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or treatment. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Andrew Karesa, blueBell Village Ltd., or any of its employees, contractors, or team members.

What happens to faith when memory fades, words disappear, and the person we knew begins to change in ways that feel unfamiliar, or even unsettling?

In this episode of The Dementia Collective, Andrew Karesa sits down with Elisa Bosley, chaplain and founder of SpiritualElderCare.com, to explore how faith, music, and presence continue to matter in dementia care, especially near the end of life.

Elisa begins by sharing her own origin story and how she was drawn into chaplaincy work with older adults. She reflects on what first surprised her when accompanying people living with dementia, and how those early experiences reshaped her understanding of faith, identity, and what it truly means to offer spiritual care.

Much of the conversation centers on music, particularly hymns, and why they so often reach people long after other forms of communication have fallen away. Elisa explains how familiar songs can act as a bridge to comfort, connection, and peace, even when cognitive decline is advanced, and why music frequently carries spiritual meaning when spoken theology no longer does.

Andrew and Elisa also explore the tension many families feel when a loved one’s beliefs or behaviours near the end of life seem incongruent with who they were earlier. They discuss common fears about faith, salvation, and whether dementia can somehow sever a person’s relationship with God. Rather than offering simplistic answers, Elisa speaks from her experience walking alongside individuals and families in long term care, emphasizing presence, reassurance, and trust over correction or fear.

The conversation addresses chaplaincy in diverse care settings, including how Elisa approaches interfaith spaces with sensitivity and respect. She reflects on the difference between supporting someone spiritually and evangelizing them, and why honoring a person’s history, values, and sense of safety matters far more than imposing belief.

Throughout the episode, Elisa returns to a consistent theme: that dignity, comfort, and connection are not lost simply because cognition changes. She shares what she has witnessed again and again in long term care, moments where peace, familiarity, and faith surface quietly through song, touch, or presence.

In this episode:

• Why hymns often reach people late in dementia

• How music can act as a bridge to comfort and faith

• What families fear when beliefs seem to change near the end of life

• Whether dementia can affect a person’s relationship with God

• The difference between spiritual support and evangelization

• How chaplains navigate interfaith spaces in long term care

• What brings peace and dignity near the end of life

Whether you are a caregiver, a family member, or someone wrestling with questions about faith, memory, and meaning in dementia, this conversation offers reassurance, reflection, and a grounded reminder that presence often speaks louder than certainty.

Learn more at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

https://www.bluebellvillage.ca⁠

https://spiritualeldercare.com

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or treatment. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Andrew Karesa, blueBell Village Ltd., or any of its employees, contractors, or team members.

What if good dementia care was not about getting everything right, but about understanding the person in front of you?

In this episode, Andrew Karesa sits down with Dr. Natali Edmonds, board certified geropsychologist and founder of Dementia Careblazers, to explore what caregivers are rarely told about dementia care, and why striving for perfection often makes the journey harder, not better.

Natali shares her path into geropsychology, from a formative moment during her clinical training that exposed how poorly systems serve older adults, to her work inside hospital and home based care settings. She reflects on why short appointments and blanket rules fail families, and how individualized, compassionate care makes a meaningful difference.

Together, Andrew and Natali unpack the emotional weight caregivers carry, why self blame is so common, and how well intentioned strategies can sometimes increase stress for both caregivers and their loved ones. They also discuss early onset dementia, gaps in existing supports, the role of multidisciplinary care, and why listening to a person’s response matters more than following rigid guidance.

In this episode:

• Why good dementia care is not about perfection

• What caregivers often overthink, and what they miss instead

• How to evaluate advice and credentials in a crowded online space

• Why explaining “you have dementia” can backfire

• When safety strategies help, and when they hide unmet needs

• The unique challenges of early onset dementia and younger caregivers

• How self compassion changes the caregiving experience

• What caregivers are doing better than they realize

Whether you are caring for a loved one with dementia, navigating burnout and self doubt, or working professionally in aging and memory care, this conversation is a grounded reminder that doing your best does not mean doing everything right. Good dementia care is personal, human, and shaped by the person you are caring for.

Learn more at:⁠⁠⁠⁠

https://www.bluebellvillage.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

https://careblazers.com

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or treatment. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Andrew Karesa, blueBell Village Ltd., or any of its employees, contractors, or team members.

What if Inside Out accidentally explained how memory really works?

Pixar created a world where memories form as glowing spheres, fade over time, and are reshaped by emotion. It’s a beautiful storytelling device.

But it’s also surprisingly close to what researchers understand about how human memory actually works.

In this video, we explore why Inside Out might be one of the most accurate films about memory ever made.

The movie quietly captures several ideas psychologists and neuroscientists have studied for decades:

• Memories are shaped by emotion

• Memories change each time we revisit them

• Sadness plays a critical role in healing and connection

• Some memories fade while others become part of who we are

What makes Inside Out powerful is that it doesn’t present memory as a filing cabinet. It presents it as something living, fragile, and constantly evolving.

And that idea matters far beyond film.

Because the way our culture understands memory shapes how we respond to aging, grief, and conditions like dementia.

This isn’t a clinical breakdown of neuroscience.

It’s a cultural reflection on how a Pixar film captured something deeply true about the human mind.

What happens when families sense cognitive change years before dementia is ever named, and are left living in uncertainty while waiting for clarity that arrives too late?

In this episode, Andrew Karesa sits down with Greg McGillis, engineer, entrepreneur, and founder of Brain Care Technologies, to explore why dementia is so often detected only after lives have already been disrupted, and what might change if cognitive decline were noticed earlier.

Greg shares the long arc of his career, beginning in the early 1990s working in assistive technology with people whose physical disabilities limited their independence. That early work shaped his understanding of dignity and agency, lessons that stayed with him through decades in engineering leadership before he made a deliberate return to biomedical engineering later in life.

The conversation becomes deeply personal as Greg reflects on supporting his father in law, who is now living with Lewy body dementia in long term care. He speaks candidly about watching subtle changes accumulate, the years of uncertainty before answers arrived, and how families are often left wishing they had known sooner, not for a cure, but for time, planning, and fewer surprises.

Andrew and Greg explore why the gap between early brain changes and clinical diagnosis remains so wide, and what families lose during that waiting period. They discuss how current systems often rely on crisis rather than curiosity, and why caregivers are frequently the first to notice cognitive change long before healthcare systems are prepared to respond.

The episode also examines Greg’s work at Brain Care Technologies and his belief that understanding brain function earlier, through non invasive approaches, can support better conversations and planning. Rather than positioning technology as a solution on its own, Greg emphasizes its role in helping families move from confusion to clarity, while respecting uncertainty and avoiding false promises.

Throughout the conversation, Greg challenges the idea that early awareness should be feared. He speaks to the importance of hope grounded in realism, and why earlier understanding, even without definitive answers, can empower families rather than overwhelm them.

In this episode:

• Why dementia is often detected years after cognitive changes begin

• What families lose during the long wait for answers

• Why caregivers are usually the first to notice change

• The emotional toll of uncertainty before diagnosis

• What early awareness can and cannot change today

• How earlier understanding can support planning and dignity

• Why proactive dementia care must be handled with honesty and care

Whether you are a caregiver, a family member, or someone trying to understand dementia beyond clinical timelines and stereotypes, this conversation offers clarity, perspective, and a grounded look at why knowing sooner can change how dementia care is experienced.

Learn more at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

https://www.bluebellvillage.ca

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://braincaretech.ca

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or treatment. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Andrew Karesa, blueBell Village Ltd., or any of its employees, contractors, or team members.

What if the most powerful story in Coco isn’t about music at all?

In one quiet moment near the end of the film, Pixar reveals something deeply human about memory, aging, and the fear of being forgotten. When Miguel sings Remember Me to Coco, the song stops being about fame or performance and becomes something far more personal — a bridge back to memory.

In this video, we explore the hidden story inside Coco and why that scene resonates so deeply with families who have experienced aging and fading memory.

Through Coco’s character and the traditions surrounding Día de los Muertos, the film quietly reminds us that memory is not just something we carry alone. It lives in stories, in families, and in the people who choose to remember.

This isn’t a clinical analysis.

It’s a cultural one.

Because the stories we tell about memory and aging shape how we treat the people living with them.