Overview

A digital platform fostering connections and amplifying positive emotions for those living with dementia and their caregivers.

Tend, is a digital platform designed to assist people living with dementia. The primary goal was to foster connections with caregivers and amplify positive emotions, while simultaneously decreasing stress and anxiety.

Tend was a project of Studio Elsewhere, a bio-experiential design company.

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Problem Space

Defining the problem space for Tend involved understanding the complex challenges faced by dementia patients and their caregivers, including issues of navigation, emotional distress, relationship maintenance, and equitable access to resources. Ethical considerations were at the forefront of this process, as we sought to create a tool that respected and addressed the unique needs and experiences of this community. Working alongside researchers from Harvard Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital was instrumental in guiding our understanding and approach to this complex problem space.

• The emotional challenges experienced by people living with dementia, including feelings of disconnectedness, frustration, shame, a lack of safety, and an absence of meaningful connection.
• The struggles of caregivers in maintaining connection while providing care, compounded by a lack of appropriate care resources.
• Issues related to equitable access to necessary services and supports for both the dementia patients and their caregivers.

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Approach

The approach to UX and product design for the Tend project was multi-faceted and iterative, starting with a design strategy centered around world building and connecting to creativity. It included early prototyping with wireframes, evaluation and usability testing, planning and alignment with stakeholders, conducting internal interviews for deeper user understanding, and data analysis. The final step was building out an interface that could invoke feelings of awe, connection, wonder, and creativity, ensuring functionality and emotional resonance.

• Research indicated that physical metaphor could significantly improve digital wayfinding for users. Therefore, interfaces were designed to promote creativity and exploration, drawing inspiration from world-building approaches by sci-fi author NK Jemisin. This proved integral to building an interface that effectively mitigated feelings of stress and shame for users.
• We defined modules that facilitated exploration of creative engagement and fostered collaborative connections between caregivers and dementia patients. This approach was designed from the understanding that creative exercises help promote brain health without causing stress, as there are no wrong answers in these activities.
• Conducted usability interviews with 20 dyads (a caregiver and a person living with dementia) to gather qualitative data.
• Collaborated with partners from Harvard Medicine who conducted quantitative surveys to understand the broader dementia community.

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Outcomes

• Co-authored a peer-reviewed white paper titled "Bio-Experiential Technology to Support Persons With Dementia and Care Partners at Home (TEND): Protocol for an Intervention Development Study". This paper explores the use of bio-experiential design, design thinking, and technology-based solutions to assist those living with dementia and their home caregivers.
• Successfully prototyped and built the Tend platform, which is now actively being used in a pilot program, demonstrating its practical application and efficacy in real-world settings.
• Advanced the studio's design practice by deepening our understanding of accessibility and inclusive design for individuals with neuro-cognitive impairments.