Designing for Dignity

Slide UX
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What if we designed products and services in Brain Change, AgeTech, and Care with an emphasis on the humans they support? This podcast from Slide UX spotlights innovators, clinicians, caregivers, researchers, advocates—and people with lived experience—who are shaping the future of AgeTech and human-centered care. Through honest, curious, and deeply human conversations, host Erin Young explores how thoughtful design can enhance autonomy, connection, and quality of life for people navigating aging or brain change. Each episode surfaces lessons that bridge technology, empathy, and impact.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Why Caregiving Is a System, Not a Role | Holly Larson on Family Care Design

    What happens when a family plans for care and the plan falls apart in a week? Holly Larson spent two decades writing about technology for some of the largest companies in the world. Then her father was injured on a trip to Italy, and she and her sister found themselves running a care system at warp speed with no map for it. Nine years later they are still at it. Out of that came Family Care Horizons, a care planning and decision architecture that helps families move from crisis-driven care to something they can sustain. Holly mapped more than 369 distinct tasks that families absorb when care begins, then built a framework to help them see the work, weigh its emotional intensity, and divide it fairly before a crisis forces the decision. In this episode of Designing for Dignity, Erin Young and Holly get into why families end up as the integration layer of the healthcare system, what employers keep missing about elder care, and where CareTech is building for a buyer who does not exist. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why families become the care system rather than receiving oneHow the care load framework surfaces work that stays invisibleWhat dignity guardrails are and how families set themWhy communication is the most neglected part of any family care systemHow care archetypes help families assign roles to strengthsWhat employers get wrong when they treat elder care as a benefits line itemWhy the most stressed caregivers are the least likely to adopt CareTechWhat agency looks like for a family caregiver, and how it gets lost ABOUT HOLLY LARSON Holly Larson is the creator of Family Care Horizons, a set of decision frameworks for family caregiving and elder care. She is a B2B technology content writer with more than twenty years of experience, and she came to care work through her own family. For nine years she and her sister have coordinated care for their father through acute crises, medical rehab, home care during the pandemic, and assisted living. She writes five times a week as Your Chief Care Officer. Holly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyklarson CHAPTERS (00:00) Introduction (01:02) From B2B tech writing to care systems (02:12) Italy, and two years of medical chaos (05:41) The gap in how families decide (07:42) The care load: 369 hidden tasks (11:56) Care burden, gender, cognitive load (14:16) Dignity guardrails (17:14) Care archetypes and family roles (19:54) When to start a proactive care plan (22:12) Care stability signals and drift (24:01) The caregiver who does not exist (26:26) Treating care as a system (30:57) Communication, the neglected piece (33:56) What employers get wrong (38:20) Where CareTech solves the wrong problem (41:34) Making the care system visible (43:54) Where design is most absent (47:34) Nine years in: what she wishes she knew (48:29) Care support 10 years from now (52:15) Where to find Holly ABOUT THE SHOW Designing for Dignity is a podcast from Slide UX about how thoughtful design can enhance autonomy, connection, and quality of life for people navigating aging or brain change. Newsletter: http://slideux.com/newsletterSlide UX on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slide-ux Topics: family caregiving, care planning, elder care, dementia, caregiver burnout, CareTech, AgeTech

  2. Apr 28

    Designing for Caregivers: The Importance of Storytelling with Nicole Will of WillGather and Rendever

    What does it take to truly understand the people you are designing for in aging and care? It starts with listening. And few people have been listening longer or more closely than Nicole Will. In this episode of Designing for Dignity, Erin Young speaks with Nicole Will, founder of WillGather, a platform and podcast focused on aging, caregiving, and AgeTech. Nicole also works with Rendever, a VR platform addressing social isolation in older adults, and Lorenzo’s House, a nonprofit supporting families navigating younger-onset dementia. Nicole shares her journey from family caregiver at age 15 to gerontologist, registered nursing assistant, senior living leader, and now AgeTech advisor and podcast host with more than 240 episodes. The conversation explores how storytelling builds empathy before product decisions are made, what strong AgeTech teams consistently get right, and why caregiver experience needs to be understood in full, not in fragments. 💡 What You’ll Learn • Why storytelling is foundational to empathy in AgeTech product design • What strong AgeTech teams consistently get right • How to identify and serve multiple user types in caregiving products • Why equity and access need to be designed in from the start • What ethical considerations matter when designing for vulnerable users • How VR is being used to address social isolation in care settings • What experienced caregivers want innovators to understand before building 💪 About Nicole Nicole is reshaping how we understand aging, caregiving, and connection. As an international thought leader, she is the founder of willGather and host of the top-rated willGather podcast, amplifying the voices of older adults, family caregivers, and professionals across the care economy. With a background in Social Gerontology, leadership in senior living, and her own family caregiving experience, Nicole blends heart and strategy to challenge assumptions and illuminate what’s possible when dignity leads the way. She serves as Development & Strategic Partnerships Lead for Lorenzo’s House, leads Marketing & Strategic Partnerships at Rendever, and supports organizations, where she helps guide conversations that push the industry forward. • Website: https://www.willgather.com/ • Podcast: https://www.willgatherpodcast.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-will-0a33a930/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillGather-1132074970266544 • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willgather/ • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/myEventConnect 🖼️ Rendever is overcoming social isolation through the power of VR and shared experiences. • https://rendever.com 🏠 Lorenzo’s House empowers families living with younger-onset dementia through an array of free holistic support, ensuring we walk this journey united – never alone. • https://www.lorenzoshouse.org/

    Designing for Caregivers: The Importance of Storytelling with Nicole Will of WillGather and Rendever

  3. Apr 14

    Designing Low-Friction Cognitive Health Tools Based on Voice and Sound with Kara Uchtman of Vibes AI

    What if your voice could reveal what is happening in your brain years before any symptoms appear? In this episode of Designing for Dignity, host Erin Young sits down with Kara Uchtman, Clinical Research Officer at Vibes AI, a company building low-friction cognitive health tools based on voice and sound. They explore early cognitive detection, the ethics of longitudinal voice data, and what it truly means to design for dignity in brain health.

    Designing Low-Friction Cognitive Health Tools Based on Voice and Sound with Kara Uchtman of Vibes AI

  4. 10/29/2025

    Technology for Better Senior Care: Lessons in AgeTech from Caregiving Veteran Christy Rockefeller

    How important is technology when it comes to top-tier senior care?In this episode of Designing for Dignity, Erin Young interviews Christy Rockefeller, a caregiving veteran and with extensive experience at tech companies focused on improving home care. Christy shares her journey into senior care, and her experiences at nursing homes, memory care, hospice, and home care. The conversation delves into the importance of understanding user needs, the challenges of technology adoption, and the impact of cultural perspectives on aging. Christy emphasizes the significance of accessibility in technology, the high stakes of caregiving, and the need for community support to combat isolation and loneliness among seniors. She also discusses the future of specialized elder care communities and offers advice for innovators in the age tech space.💡 What You’ll Learn- How Christy’s early experiences in hospice shaped her perspective on dignity and compassion- Why accessibility and usability are critical in care technology- The challenges of technology adoption in high-stakes caregiving environments- How cultural differences influence our approach to aging and community- Why human connection remains at the heart of innovation in care- What innovators can learn from real caregivers and older adults🧠 Key ThemesCaregiving • Aging • Accessibility • User Experience • Home Care • Loneliness • Community • Cultural Perspectives • AgeTech • Design for Dignity⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Introduction01:32 – Christy’s Journey into Senior Care03:01 – Educational Background and Career Path05:03 – Experiences in Senior Care and Hospice08:29 – Researching Community Needs in Senior Care12:27 – Cultural Perspectives on Aging and Caregiving14:07 – Understanding User Needs in Care Technology16:30 – Accessibility in Technology for Seniors18:50 – Challenges in Technology Adoption20:37 – Navigating the Caregiving Landscape25:34 – Lessons from User Feedback29:26 – Demographic Influences on Care Needs33:33 – Balancing Business and Care Needs37:25 – High Stakes in Caregiving39:46 – Evaluating Helpful Technologies42:27 – Making Brain Change Manageable45:59 – Addressing Isolation and Loneliness50:41 – Exciting Trends in Aging and Technology55:22 – Future of Specialized Communities56:29 – Advice for Innovators in AgeTech👥 About the ShowDesigning for Dignity is a podcast from Slide UX that explores how thoughtful design can enhance autonomy, connection, and quality of life for people navigating aging or brain change.Each conversation spotlights innovators, caregivers, researchers, and individuals with lived experience—offering insights that bridge technology, empathy, and impact.🔔 Stay Connected Join the newsletterFollow Slide UX on LinkedInLearn more about Christy🏷️ Hashtags#DesignForDignity #AgeTech #Caregiving #Accessibility #InclusiveDesign #HomeCare #Aging #BrainHealth #UXDesign #CareInnovation #Community #Loneliness

    Technology for Better Senior Care: Lessons in AgeTech from Caregiving Veteran Christy Rockefeller

  5. 10/11/2025

    Connecting Generations through VR Gaming with David Wyatt of Mighty Coconut

    What happens when virtual reality becomes a bridge between generations? In this episode, Erin talks with David Wyatt, Head of Communications and Business Strategy at Mighty Coconut, about how the hit VR game Walkabout Mini Golf unexpectedly became a favorite among older players. 💡 What You’ll Learn Why half of Walkabout Mini Golf’s players are over 45How the pandemic shaped a new kind of social connection in gamingThe role of accessibility and usability in creating inclusive experiencesHow VR can support therapy, cognition, and wellbeing in older adultsInsights on intergenerational play and the emotional value of shared experiencesThe importance of balancing novelty with familiarity in UX design ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Introduction to Designing for Dignity 01:34 – Davids Background and Journey 03:06 – The Emergence of Older Players in VR 06:20 – Understanding the Older Demographic 09:40 – Challenges in VR Adoption for Older Adults 10:04 – Designing for Accessibility 14:33 – The Importance of Social Connection 17:59 – Balancing User Feedback and Development 22:07 – Gender Dynamics in Gaming 27:24 – The Overlooked Older Audience in Gaming 31:16 – Therapeutic Uses of VR for Older Adults 34:22 – Surprises in UX 39:01 – Internal Discussions on Design Principles 43:50 – Balancing Novelty and Familiarity in Game Design

    Connecting Generations through VR Gaming with David Wyatt of Mighty Coconut
  • 5 Episodes

About

What if we designed products and services in Brain Change, AgeTech, and Care with an emphasis on the humans they support? This podcast from Slide UX spotlights innovators, clinicians, caregivers, researchers, advocates—and people with lived experience—who are shaping the future of AgeTech and human-centered care. Through honest, curious, and deeply human conversations, host Erin Young explores how thoughtful design can enhance autonomy, connection, and quality of life for people navigating aging or brain change. Each episode surfaces lessons that bridge technology, empathy, and impact.

Information

  • Creator
    Slide UX
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Slide UX
  • Show Website
    Designing for Dignity