By Mac J. Daniel
Early-stage memory loss can quickly isolate; Debby Dodds attended UMass Boston determined to use technology to reconnect with her mom.
When she realized her mother’s assisted living community had no Wi-Fi access for residents, Debby Dodds began a quest to prove the value of technology in helping bridge the gaps created by early-stage memory loss.
Dodds soon enrolled in UMass Boston’s Management of Aging online program to study gerontology while trying to find a way technology could support the aging population, and her mother.
Her first solution was relatively simple. It consisted of a computer tablet, a simple slideshow of family photos, and a familiar voiceover that spoke to her mother and, in some ways, recreated her family story. Siblings and grandchildren joined in, and caregivers played the stories when family was not nearby. The experience soothed, the caregivers enjoyed this novel interaction, and the photos brought back forgotten memories that could be replayed again and again.
“Reminiscing helps us all stay connected to our past successes, which can keep us happy,” said Dodds. “With memory loss, it becomes more difficult to recall our life’s joyful events. That is where technology comes in. With personalized and content-driven tablet engagement, people with dementia can stay in tune with the best parts of their personhood.”
Dodds went on to refine her original solution through a required “capstone project” at UMass Boston. After graduation, she and her colleagues developed Care Team Connect (CTC), an app based on that project. Awarded a grant of nearly $500,000 from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, and Small Business Innovation Research program, the team is currently piloting the app with home-care agency franchises across the country.
During the pilot, tablets with the CTC app are customized to help home care providers work with families to personalize content for their clients. Music playlists enhance mood, and family photos and videos help caregivers and clients develop meaningful relationships by experiencing their client’s family stories.
“The tailored tablet allows us to build trust between the caregiver and the client that is driven by the content a family provides,” says Dodds. “There’s such a wide variety of personalized information available. Things such as favorite songs, family photos, or culturally specific events allow us to tap into who that person is.”
Read more about the CTC project on UMass Boston’s Gerontology Institute Blog.