Mobile Design
One in 10 people age 65 and older (10%) has Alzheimer’s dementia, a disease that causes the brain to shrink and results in memory loss of the patient. Barring significant medical advances, this disease is projected to affect 135 million people worldwide by 2050 [1]. Beyond the patients who are directly affected by Alzheimer’s disease, this disease also impacts the friends and families of the patient as they see themselves forgotten by their loved ones. Mothers no longer recognizing their children, or siblings being called their parent’s name are common sights in families with a loved one suffers from Alzheimer’s.
Although Alzheimer’s is currently incurable, certain interventions can slow the loss of memory. These include engaging in cognitive activities and staying socially connected. While the ubiquity of smartphones provides an easy way for communication through phone calls and ample storage for pictures, a patient with Alzheimer’s may find it challenging to recall the people they want to connect with. Facts like names and birthdays, might slip unwillingly and unnoticed from their memories as it deteriorates.
RememberMe offers a platform for Alzheimer’s patients to exercise their memory of their loved ones. Profiles of the people worth working to remember are gathered in one central app with easy call buttons for the patient to connect with them. Friends and family can add their own snippets and memories for the patient to browse. Customized quizzes allow the patient to review and relearn facts through a gamified interface while a daily reminder reminds the patient to log in and practice. We hope that RememberMe can steal time back from Alzheimer’s and help patients remember a little longer.