For Jessica Grabell, meaningful connection has always been at the heart of her work. A 2005 graduate of NC’s Recreation and Leisure Services program, Grabell has dedicated nearly two decades to dementia care work that inspired her to launch a unique platform aimed at helping families stay connected with loved ones living with dementia.
As the founder and CEO of MemoraCare Technologies Inc., Grabell is leading the development of Remember Media, a digital platform that makes it easy to share photos, videos and virtual visits with older adults. The technology allows families to upload special memories remotely, which caregivers can then access through a QR code worn by the individual with dementia.
“After 17 years of experience in dementia care, I came to deeply appreciate the power of reminiscing to create meaningful connections with individuals living with dementia by helping them stay connected to their past and loved ones,” said Grabell. “However, collecting and organizing photos, videos, and arranging virtual calls was often time-consuming and inefficient in an already overstretched care environment. This challenge inspired me to develop a secure, streamlined system that enables families to remotely upload photos and videos, which caregivers can easily access through a QR code.”
What started as an idea influenced by compassion and experience is now coming to life with support from NC’s Business and Commercialization Innovation Centre (BCIC), part of NC’s Research & Innovation division. These collaborations are helping Grabell refine her product, expand her business model, and prepare for a national rollout in the coming year.
In addition to her NC partnerships, Grabel has also worked closely with Brock University’s Goodman School of Business. Over the past year, she has been a Brock Linc community partner, where she was named runner-up in their Navigate entrepreneurship program and is now continuing her entrepreneurial journey through the Blueprint program. Earlier this year, a team of third-year Business Ethics students from Brock won the Provincial Student of the Year Award for their project working with Remember Media. Looking ahead, Grabel plans to continue collaborating with both the college and university communities to advance research on reminiscence therapy across generations and apply those frameworks to her technology.
Grabell credits much of her professional foundation to her time at NC, where the lessons she learned continue to guide her work today.
“The foundational knowledge imparted by my professors at Niagara College prepared me to manage the workload and creativity required in the field of Recreation Therapy,” said Grabell. “They emphasized the importance of advocacy in the field, highlighting that the dedication and expertise involved often surpass the recognition and compensation it receives. This lesson continues to inspire my advocacy for not only Recreation Therapy as a practice, and the potential of technology to enhance this field, but is the foundation for my understanding and deeply rooted empathy in serving marginalized groups.”
Grabell first connected with NC’s Research & Innovation division through the BCIC, where she received marketing and branding support to prepare for launch.
“The BCIC has been instrumental in refining our marketing content and branding as we prepare for launch,” she explained. “Not only are they providing skills and expertise in an area I do not have, they are also ensuring high quality marketing products at an affordable cost so I can focus funds towards the development of the software and the security that surrounds it. Without this support, we likely would not have the funds or combined expertise to move our concept from ideation to launch as successfully.”
Grabell is now working with a dedicated team to research and trial Reminiscence Therapy through Remember Media’s platform. The trials are helping shape a service delivery model that could soon be used widely across Canada.
“A significant goal is to secure government funding one day, similar to the support provided to Meals on Wheels,” said Grabell. “Research and successful trials will help demonstrate the program’s value, potentially leading to investment that could alleviate healthcare system burdens by addressing social isolation. Picture a national service that provides volunteer to client and Recreation Therapy to client matching programs to relieve care burdens across dementia care settings, with the software serving as a catalyst for the visits.”
The technology behind Remember Media is thoughtful and user-friendly. Families upload media content from anywhere in the world, which is instantly synced to the individual via a QR code, making it easy for caregivers to share meaningful moments. The platform also features app-to-app video calling and plans to integrate sensor technology in the future.
While the business officially launched in 2024, development has been ongoing for two years. The startup is currently in the trial phase and has launched a crowdfunding campaign, with hopes of scaling carefully and ethically by January.
“Because of the nature of our business serving vulnerable populations through technology, it is very important to us that we do not scale the business too fast in order to ensure the security and efficiency of our software and the overall business model,” Grabell explained.
Looking back on her time at NC, Grabell reflects on the experiences that shaped her both personally and professionally.
“At 18, I left my hometown an hour away to pursue my studies while grieving the loss of two people in my life,” she said. “Balancing work and academics were demanding, especially since I was funding my own education. However, with the unwavering support of my teachers, I navigated these challenges. Their guidance not only helped me earn my diploma but also set me on a path in a field I truly love.”
Her advice for future NC graduates is to remember that life is a marathon, not a sprint:
“It’s never too late to learn, grow, or start something new. Age doesn’t limit your potential, only outdated beliefs do. Your experience is your strength, and your desire to keep learning is proof that you still have so much to offer.”
To learn more about Jessica’s work, visit www.remembermedia.org.
For information on Niagara College’s Business and Commercialization Innovation Centre, click here.
