Final Year Project - Digital Memories for Alzheimer's

[Catherinemcc]

Hi Everyone,

For my final year project I have decided to create a website which will enable Alzheimer patients and their families to curate and access a digital memory archive, including a calendar feature which will allow families to ensure that the patient will always have access to care when needed. In order to carry out this project I need to gather information from those who have first-hand experience of working with someone with Alzheimer’s.
I would like to gather information on your thoughts of a digital memory archive, would you find this helpful? I would also like you to note other key information and ideas you would have in which you think should be included in the website.


Thank you in advance,
Catherine

 

[nitram]

create a website which will enable Alzheimer patients and their families to curate and access a digital memory archive,

This assumes a certain level of 'IT awareness'.
Families are unlikely to to be interested in any website of this type until dementia enters their lives at which time learning new skills would not be uppermost in their minds.

including a calendar feature which will allow families to ensure that the patient will always have access to care when needed.

How does this calendar feature give the patient access to care at 02.30 a.m. when they have behavioural problems?

 

[Amethyst59]

Hello, Catherine, I care for my husband, but I’m certainly not very confident using new technology. How do you envisage that your site would work? Would it be somewhere to upload photos and things to promote memory or conversation? And how would the calendar work?
I have seen some photo albums that you can record a memory, so that it plays back when you press a button. Is this what you have in mind?
As far as a calendar is concerned, I have linked mine to an ‘echo’ so that my husband can ask what we are doing on any given day.
I am sure that some people who use this site will be able to give you more intelligent input (!) but maybe for people like me, you could give a bit more detail?

 

[Catherinemcc]

This assumes a certain level of 'IT awareness'.
Families are unlikely to to be interested in any website of this type until dementia enters their lives at which time learning new skills would not be uppermost in their minds.




How does this calendar feature give the patient access to care at 02.30 a.m. when they have behavioural problems?

Hi Nitram,

Sorry I may not have explained the calendar feature that great, however, the purpose of the calendar feature is that the family member will be able to book themselves in which will allow everyone to see when they have care and when they don't - allowing family members/friends/careers be able to see when they may be needed to assist them.

Also, I am aware that when I am creating the website that there will be a wide variety pf different 'IT awareness' and so intend of making the website as easy as possible to use and clear.

Hope this helps and clears any confusion I may have caused.

Catherine

 

[Amethyst59]

Sorry I may not have explained the calendar feature that great, however, the purpose of the calendar feature is that the family member will be able to book themselves in which will allow everyone to see when they have care and when they don't - allowing family members/friends/careers be able to see when they may be needed to assist them.

Isn’t this how google calendar works? I think that if I ‘invite’ family members they can see events?

 

[nitram]

the purpose of the calendar feature is that the family member will be able to book themselves in which will allow everyone to see when they have care and when they don't - allowing family members/friends/careers be able to see when they may be needed to assist them.

OK
The calendar is an online rota so that people can book themselves in to provide appropriate care on a 24 hour basis.
Correct?

 

[Catherinemcc]

Hello, Catherine, I care for my husband, but I’m certainly not very confident using new technology. How do you envisage that your site would work? Would it be somewhere to upload photos and things to promote memory or conversation? And how would the calendar work?
I have seen some photo albums that you can record a memory, so that it plays back when you press a button. Is this what you have in mind?
As far as a calendar is concerned, I have linked mine to an ‘echo’ so that my husband can ask what we are doing on any given day.
I am sure that some people who use this site will be able to give you more intelligent input (!) but maybe for people like me, you could give a bit more detail?

Hi Amethyst,

I aim to allow people to upload photos/videos/sounds to promote memory. The calendar feature will work in that it will allow family member's/careers/friends to book themselves into care for the person, allowing everyone to know when care may be required.

I also plan on implementing a 'memory box' feature at the moment I am unsure how I will do this, however I would love to be able to add a feature which will allow family/friends to upload memories from the person's past such as important documents, sounds which may be on significance to them and remind them of something, something which will remind them of their career and job/jobs that they had throughout their life and other important meaningful memories which the person may have.

Catherine

 

[Catherinemcc]

OK
The calendar is an online rota so that people can book themselves in to provide appropriate care on a 24 hour basis.
Correct?

Yes, this is correct.

 

[Amethyst59]

I like the idea of a ‘memory box’, especially if it were something that family members and friends could contribute to, no matter where they live. This might be a way to get wider family members involved.

 

[nitram]

Yes, this is correct.

Again OK
Needs some dedicated and caring people.

Regarding the 'digital memory archive', this is something that can be uploaded by other than the patient, it can be shown to a patient with limited cognition, I believe you are proposing a personal archive rather than ' life in 19xx' , this could be beneficial,

 

[nitram]

How do you intend to alert people to your proposed facility?

Developing it is pointless unless people know about and use it.

 

[LilyJ]

Well, I for one, am completely lost & totally baffled!!