Problem
Having a routine can be of help to people with dementia, but remembering daily tasks can be challenging. Being constantly reminded by others can make people with dementia feel dependent of their caregivers.
How might we encourage routines to give people with dementia a sense of independence?
Trying to understand Dementia
Interviewing people with dementia and their caregivers was challenging. While our talks with Ceci and Lizeth gave us helpful insights, we wanted to better understand the daily struggles of those with dementia. We turned to dementia forums and subreddits. The most useful resource was the Dementia Mentors Video Archive, where people openly shared their experiences and tips for living with the illness.
Tim Perkins
"It takes your mind off your problems, it takes your mind off some of the symptoms you are going through. It'll help your state of mind a great deal. The apathy will slowly go away and then the depression will slowly go away. There are going to be days that you don't want to do anything at all but try to do at least something, even if it's just for half an hour"
Iris L
"The mid stage is where I am at now. I don't really know the mid stage of what disease or diseases, but I know I am past the beginning stage but not yet at the end. Every day I live with the challenges of meeting my daily needs and preparing for my future. I used to function better but now I am struggling."
Shawn Kelley
"The first thing I needed to do was get on a routine. I did not have any work. I wasn't able to drive anymore, which was very depressing. If you have a routine going on your not going to feel out of place. My routine is getting up making my coffee, my bed, writing in my journal, doing my mediation, then breakfast, then I start to build on my day and see how I feel."
Happycj
"My dad is confusing evening with morning... This can cause some headaches when he tries to call people. So we put a Post-It note on the phone that says when it is OK to call people. He reads the note, checks the time and is shocked it is evening and not morning, and respects the note."
Laughing
"I was diagnosed in 2018 and don't remember anything I was doing 10 minutes before. I set alarms on my phone and wall to the phone to cut it off and do what I typed in the phone (take meds, chores) and have no idea what the alarm is going off for for things I do everyday."
Elmarie Janse van Rensburg reddit.com/r/dementia
"If you have a friend to come fetch you every now and then, that's a good idea. Don't be shy, invite them. At night she'll video call me and ask if I took my meds, took a shower and we will chat for while."
Iris L
"I got to feeling bad about myself because my life is the opposite. What I do is sit around and do nothing. But actually I don't do nothing. I do manage to get a few chores done, very few. And this is because of my illnesses which are mostly invisible, even to me. I am not in pain. I just have no stamina and no initiative and I can't remember much."
What we discovered:
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Memory Loss and Routine: People with dementia often rely on alarms and reminders but still forget what tasks need to be done, showing how memory loss affects daily life.
Apathy and Fatigue: Many experience a lack of motivation and energy, making even simple chores difficult and leading to feelings of guilt.
Support and Routine: Social support and structured daily routines help individuals maintain a sense of stability and purpose despite memory challenges.
Chatting with caregivers
We interviewed two sisters caring for their father with dementia. These conversations showed how important the needs of both people with dementia and their caregivers are, and how often family members step into that caregiving role.
Lizabeth, Caregiver
“Like nobody telling him what he needs to do. He still feels like he's independent. He may be independent or dependent in certain things, but not in everything.”
Ceci, Caregiver
"We sound like broken records. According to him, he doesn’t like us to keep repeating and repeating, but he needs us to."
Main takeways from our first interviews:
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Memory Decline: The interviewee’s father frequently struggles with forgetfulness, often getting lost while driving and finding it difficult to complete simple tasks, such as making the bed.
Frustration with Dependency: He struggles with losing his independence, often resisting help from his caregivers, and becoming frustrated when he can’t do things his way.
Emotional and Physical Challenges: The caregivers face difficulties managing his behavior, such as his refusal to take medication or shower, and have to use patience, sometimes leaving him alone until he calms down.
Our users
After conducting user interviews and secondary research, we created personas to focus our solution on the needs, goals, and pain points of caregivers and individuals with dementia.
Memo app
Memo is a smart TV app for seniors with dementia, providing reminders for daily tasks and engaging activities. It encourages routines to foster a sense of independence by leveraging the familiarity of TV. Caregivers can manage reminders and monitor activities through a smartphone app, receiving notifications upon task completion.
UX Designer
Role
3 Designers
Team
May - June 2022
Timeline
Smart TV & Moblie
Platform
Bringing it all together
We synthesized user needs, categorized our findings, and developed how might statements that informed our concept.
Why did we choose TV?
Older adults spend a lot of time watching TV
Seniors 60 and older spend over 4 hours a day watching TV (AARP)(Pew Research Center). Using a familiar platform maximizes the chances that reminders will be seen and routines will be followed.
Most people already own a TV
TV is a common household item, so there are no extra costs for seniors or their families to adopt this solution, unlike purchasing new devices.
TV is familiar and easy to use
TV has been around for decades, making it a comfortable, trusted technology for seniors. This familiarity reduces any learning curve and ensures ease of use.
Checking out what is already out there
We analyzed both direct and indirect competitors to understand existing solutions that help people with dementia maintain independence and stick to a routine. This research helped us identify ways to provide more value to both caregivers and people with dementia.
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What we discovered:
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Intuitive and Conversational: Devices for people with dementia must be intuitive and use conversational language, as complex interfaces can lead to decreased usage.
Affordability Challenges: Many devices are too expensive for individuals on a fixed income, leading caregivers to adapt more affordable alternatives to meet their needs.
Language Limitations: Most dementia-related devices are only available in English, with no options for language customization, limiting accessibility for non-English speakers.
Caregiver mobile app
We created a mobile app for caregivers to manage tasks and sync reminders to a smart TV app for dementia patients.
Creating reminders in the caregiver app
We designed the reminder feature in the Memo mobile app to support caregivers in managing daily tasks, like taking medication. It allows caregivers to set essential reminders while also providing smart suggestions to make the process more efficient and intuitive.
Version 2
Version 1
In the first design, we kept the screens simple to focus on understanding the main user flow for caregivers to add tasks.
Based on feedback, we made the following improvements:
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Added more visuals and preset tasks to make the process faster and more engaging.
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Introduced a feature allowing caregivers to take photos as visual aids to help patients with their tasks.
Creating activites in the caregiver app
We designed the activities feature in the Memo mobile app to help caregivers enrich daily routines with engaging activities. These activities promote mental, physical, and social stimulation, which are crucial for slowing cognitive decline.
Version 2
Version 1
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In our first design, we used simple illustrations for setting activities, but feedback showed they needed more detail and variety.
To address this, we made the following improvements:
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Added more detailed illustrations and images for activity options.
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Expanded the variety of activities based on research into what benefits users with dementia.
User testing
We tested our app to ensure caregivers could easily set reminders and navigate the app’s flow. Additionally, we evaluated our Smart TV prototype for legibility and ease of use, specifically testing it with seniors to ensure it met their needs.
Lizabeth, Caregiver
"I like it because, if we get sidetracked doing something else, at least something is there, physically telling them […] So we don't have to be hovering over him because that's what he gets upset about."
What we learned:
Ceci, Caregiver
"Because eventually, some of them can't read, so visuals and pictures are what they'll eventually see to help them understand."
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Users expressed the need for a timer on the screen to announce upcoming exercises.
Language customization became essential after learning that the caregiver’s father spoke a different language.
Visual aids were identified as crucial after feedback indicated that pictures would simplify task comprehension for dementia patients who struggle with reading
Smart TV App
The smart TV app helps people with dementia stay on track with daily tasks while engaging in activities like games, exercises, photos, and music throughout the day. These activities provide mental, physical, and social stimulation, which can help slow cognitive decline.
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Version 2
Version 1
In the first design, we conceptualized how to visualize reminder notifications on the TV screen. We included basic reminder notifications and activities with simple illustrations similar to the caregiver app, keeping the UI clean and consistent across both apps.
Based on feedback, we made the following improvements:
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Added a speech feature where Memo reads reminders aloud
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Updated the language across the app to a more approachable and friendly tone.
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Replaced the initial designs with high-fidelity visuals for reminders and activities.
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Increased the size of CTAs and displays to enhance usability.
Reflections
What worked:
One of the best parts of this project was collaborating with my team. Everyone brought different strengths and skills, which really helped make the project successful. We complemented each other well, and it led to a more well-rounded solution. I felt energized by how seamlessly we worked together toward a shared goal.
What didn’t work:
It was challenging to find caregivers and patients with dementia to interview because the topic was understandably sensitive. Initially, our focus was on the wandering issue in dementia patients, but after speaking with caregivers, we learned that their primary concern was helping patients maintain independence and encouraging routines. This insight forced us to pivot, which was challenging but necessary.
Future steps:
Moving forward, I’d like to explore ways to automate the Memo task creation process to make managing routines faster and less demanding for caregivers. I also see a lot of potential in making the app multilingual and accessible to users with other disabilities. Expanding the app to work on more devices beyond the TV would give patients more flexibility. Lastly, I want to prioritize finding more caregivers to interview and test the app with, so we can gather even more valuable insights and continue improving.
