What does it look like to turn a personal caregiving system into a nonprofit platform built for every family?
In this episode of Designing for Dignity, Erin Young speaks with Leslie Errington, founder and CEO of Vital Ally, a nonprofit health tech platform built to make at-home caregiving simpler, more connected, and grounded in dignity.
Leslie shares how a twice-daily phone routine reversed her mother's health decline and became the foundation for Vital Ally. The conversation covers what user research revealed about family caregiving and why rebuilding as a nonprofit changed everything.
Leslie emphasizes that caregiving is a whole-family experience requiring structure and a designated coordinator. She also offers advice for founders doing user research in emotionally charged spaces and shares what is next for Vital Ally.
What you’ll learn
How a simple twice-daily phone routine reversed Leslie's mother's health decline in five months
Why medication adherence was the wrong problem and what user research revealed instead
How sharing her own guilt in interviews unlocked honest conversations with potential users
Why every care team needs a captain and what that actually means in practice
What shifted when Leslie rebuilt Vital Ally as a nonprofit rather than a for-profit
Key themes
Family Caregiving • Alzheimer's Disease • Nonprofit Tech • Care Coordination • User Research • At-Home Care • AgeTech • Care Teams • Dignity • Designing for Dignity
About the Designing for Dignity podcast
Designing 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.