BRR is excited to be a 2026 Community Partner of the Tom Tom Festival!
Courage in Community — Building a Dementia-Friendly Future
April 23, 2026 | Charlottesville, Virginia
Courage in Community is a one-day event dedicated to raising awareness and understanding of dementia — for those living with the disease, their caregivers, and our entire community. Together, we will explore how small acts of courage can make a profound difference in creating a compassionate, dementia-friendly community where everyone feels safe, values, and included.
Join us in ensuring that every person touched by dementia can live and contribute to their full potential and participate in daily life without fear or stigma.
This event is completely free, no tickets or registration is required!
Event Details
This event brings together community members, caregivers, professionals, and individuals living with dementia for a day of learning, connection, and conversation.
Attendees are invited to participate in one or all three sessions, each focused on a different dimension of building a dementia-friendly community:
Location: Live Arts, 123 E Water St, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Courage to Include | Building Dementia-Friendly Businesses and Communities
Time: 11:00 AM — 12:00 PM
This session focuses on how businesses, organizations, and civic leaders can actively welcome and include people living with dementia.
Panelists include:
Gordon Walker, Moderator, Co-founder and board member, Blue Ridge Respite
George Worthington, Dementia Services Director, Division for Aging Services
Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative ServicesMayor Juandiego Wade, City of Charlottesville
Amy Frazier, President & CEO, Culpeper Chamber of Commerce
Ellen Phipps, Executive Director, Aging Together
Daphne Spain, Owner, 2nd Act Books, Charlottesville
Participants will learn:
What it means to be a dementia-friendly organization
Common challenges individuals face in public spaces
Practical, realistic strategies for staff and leadership
Why inclusion benefits businesses and the broader community
Courage at the community level means replacing judgment with understanding — and choosing inclusion.
Courage to Be Seen | Living With Dementia in Community
Time: 1:00 — 2:15 PM
This session will hear the voices of people living with dementia and invites our community into an honest, compassionate understanding of life after diagnosis.
Panelists include:
Gordon Walker, Moderator, Co- founder, Blue Ridge Respite; former Executive Director, Jefferson Area Board for Aging
Richard Lindsay, M.D., Emeritus Professor of Internal Medicine and Family Practice; former Head of Geriatric Medicine, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center
Liz Boyd, Dementia Clinical Care Coordinator, UVA Memory and Aging Care Clinic
Norman Dill, former owner of Rebecca’s Natural Food; former Albemarle County Supervisor; living with dementia
Samual Simon, lawyer and original ‘Nader’s Raider, playwright and performer; living with dementia
Together, they will explore:
What helps after diagnosis
How stigma contributes to isolation
How listening, slowing down, and staying present create belonging
This conversation reminds us that dementia does not erase identity, purpose, or the desire for connection.
Courage to Ask | Caring for the Care Partner
Time: 2:45 — 4:00 PM
Caregiving requires love — and courage. Especially the courage to care for oneself.
Featuring:
Gordon Walker, Moderator, Blue Ridge Respite
Paula Sherwood, PhD, RN, University of Virginia School of Nursing
Ellen Phipps, CTRS, MS, Gerontologist, Executive Director, Aging Together
Barbara Shefelton, Program Director, Blue Ridge Respite
Jessie Dean and Sue Davis-Dill, caregiver perspectives
Researchers from the UVA School of Nursing have shown that caregivers are more likely to miss their own medical appointments and experience declining health due to chronic stress.
The message is clear: Self-care is not selfish. It is essential to sustaining care.
This session explores:
Why asking for help takes courage
Emotional barriers caregivers face
Practical ways to protect one’s health
Community supports that reduce isolation
Preserving relationships over time
A dementia-friendly future is one where no caregiver feels they must do it alone or is reluctant to ask for help.
The Heart of Courage in Community
The courage of people living with dementia to stay engaged
The courage of caregivers to protect their health
The courage of communities to build belonging
Nearly every family is touched by dementia in some way. This event invites all of us to take a courageous step forward — together.