Designing for Dignity

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 NicoleNicole 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/