A Special Bonus The Dementia Collective #48 is Now Live!

This bonus episode can be found HERE

What would it look like if our public spaces were designed to include people living with dementia?

In this special episode of The Dementia Collective, Andrew Karesa sits down with Junette Huynh, Director of Projects, and Lindsay Paul, Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships at Parks Foundation Calgary, to explore the story behind the Martin Family Legacy Garden, Canada’s first dementia-inclusive public park.

Opening in Calgary’s Dover community, the park was shaped through years of collaboration with Alzheimer Calgary, people living with dementia, caregivers, researchers, community organizations, and other partners. Junette and Lindsay explain how those perspectives influenced everything from colour-coordinated walking loops and wayfinding to accessible pathways, familiar furnishings, sensory elements, quiet spaces, and an intergenerational playground. 

In this episode:

• How Canada’s first dementia-inclusive public park came to be

• What actually makes a park dementia inclusive

• The principles of design

• Why walking loops, wayfinding, familiar design, and accessible pathways matter

• The role of intergenerational spaces in reducing dementia stigma

• How philanthropy and community partnerships brought the project to life

• How the park will be used for programming and future research

• How dementia-inclusive design could be incorporated into parks across Canada

This is a conversation about dementia, accessibility, independence, community, and what can happen when we design public spaces with people living with dementia in mind.

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Your support truly makes a difference.

Village Members receive:

• Early access to new episodes

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• Occasional behind the scenes updates or voice memos from the host

• Optional name listing on our website’s “Thank You Wall”

This work cannot be done alone. Every conversation, every story, and every episode helps shift how the world understands dementia. Your five dollars directly strengthens that impact.

Join The Village HERE and help us bring more voices, more stories, and more hope to caregivers everywhere.

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Don’t Forget to Sign Up for blueBell Connect

blueBell Connect, our patent-pending dementia caregiving tool, is available for caregivers to sign up. 

blueBell Connect provides caregivers clinically valid, personally specific and culturally appropriate support recommendations in your daily care for individuals living with dementia. 

Click HERE for a blueBell Connect brochure

For more information, check out bluebellconnect.ca or email [email protected]

Click HERE to sign up