Beyond 'Behaviors': Seeing Dementia as a Human Condition with Zach Parlier
Foresight Radio · Senior Living Foresight Radio
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Show Notes
What if we stopped trying to be dementia "experts" and started being dementia enthusiasts instead?
In this episode of Foresight Radio, host Rachel Hill sits down with Zach Parlier, administrator and self-described dementia enthusiast at English Rose in Edina, Minnesota. English Rose operates small, residential homes with just six residents and a 1:3 staffing ratio, built around relationship-based dementia care and genuine normalcy — not just private suites and long hallways.
Zach shares how caring for his grandfather with Alzheimer's in his family's farmhouse from the age of 12 shaped his view of what home and good care really mean. He walks us through English Rose's five-dimension well-being model (purposeful, social, spiritual, cognitive, and physical) and explains why "behaviors" are not a symptom of dementia but usually a form of communication we're missing.
We also explore:
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Why he rejects the title "dementia expert" and embraces curiosity instead
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How a 1:3 ratio changes everything — especially the quality of relationships
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Why large, beautiful suites can unintentionally fuel isolation
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How the famous "Nun Study" influences English Rose's approach to daily life and engagement
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Why dementia must be seen as a human condition as much as a medical condition
Whether you're a leader, clinician, caregiver, or family member, this episode will challenge how you think about dementia, "behaviors," and what it means to protect someone's sense of self all the way to the end of life.
👉 Learn more about English Rose and their dementia navigation and home care services at Luxury Assisted Living, Memory Care, Parkinson's Homes Minneapolis