EPISODE · Feb 17, 2026 · 53 MIN
Living on a Closed Dementia Ward at 21 | A Conversation with Teun Toebes
from This is Your Brain on Mom · host Aflalo Communications Inc.
What if dementia isn’t a care crisis — but a societal one? In this powerful episode of This Is Your Brain on Mom, we sit down with Teun Toebes, a Dutch activist and global advocate who made an extraordinary decision at just 21 years old: he moved into a closed dementia ward. Not as a researcher. Not as a staff member. But as a neighbor. Born in the south of the Netherlands, Teun first visited a nursing home at 17 and was struck by what he describes as a “surreal nobody’s land” — beautiful people living inside a system that sorted them by their diagnosis. What followed was not a project, but a way of life. He chose to live alongside people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia to understand what life inside long-term care truly feels like. In this deeply emotional and thought-provoking conversation, we explore: What it’s really like inside a closed dementia ward How nursing homes prioritize safety and control over individuality The stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s and dementia Why dementia is often framed as a “terminal disease” — and how that language strips humanity The isolation so many residents face The impact of intergenerational connection Why Teun believes dementia is not a healthcare problem — but a societal issue We also discuss Human Forever, the internationally acclaimed documentary Teun co-created with filmmaker Jonathan de Jong. After traveling to 11 countries, they uncovered a powerful truth: the greatest suffering experienced by people living with dementia often comes not from the diagnosis itself, but from how society treats them. If you are caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s, supporting someone with early-onset dementia, or questioning how long-term care is structured, this episode will challenge and inspire you. Dementia does not erase humanity.Systems can.But systems can also change. 🎧 Listen now to hear why Teun Toebes believes a better future for people living with dementia starts with all of us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What this episode covers
What if dementia isn’t a care crisis — but a societal one? In this powerful episode of This Is Your Brain on Mom, we sit down with Teun Toebes, a Dutch activist and global advocate who made an extraordinary decision at just 21 years old: he moved into a closed dementia ward. Not as a researcher. Not as a staff member. But as a neighbor. Born in the south of the Netherlands, Teun first visited a nursing home at 17 and was struck by what he describes as a “surreal nobody’s land” — beautiful people living inside a system that sorted them by their diagnosis. What followed was not a project, but a way of life. He chose to live alongside people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia to understand what life inside long-term care truly feels like. In this deeply emotional and thought-provoking conversation, we explore: What it’s really like inside a closed dementia ward How nursing homes prioritize safety and control over individuality The stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s and dementia Why dementia is often framed as a “terminal disease” — and how that language strips humanity The isolation so many residents face The impact of intergenerational connection Why Teun believes dementia is not a healthcare problem — but a societal issue We also discuss Human Forever, the internationally acclaimed documentary Teun co-created with filmmaker Jonathan de Jong. After traveling to 11 countries, they uncovered a powerful truth: the greatest suffering experienced by people living with dementia often comes not from the diagnosis itself, but from how society treats them. If you are caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s, supporting someone with early-onset dementia, or questioning how long-term care is structured, this episode will challenge and inspire you. Dementia does not erase humanity.Systems can.But systems can also change. 🎧 Listen now to hear why Teun Toebes believes a better future for people living with dementia starts with all of us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Living on a Closed Dementia Ward at 21 | A Conversation with Teun Toebes
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