The idea for the ‘Memory Box’ app followed a number of ‘Reminisce Sessions’ which involved Heritage staff visiting people with dementia living in residential homes to show them objects and photographs from the past, to try to help activate their long-term memory.
Lucy Layton, Jersey Heritage’s outreach curator explained that she wanted to digitalise the objects and photographs once she and her team discovered that of the estimated 1,600 people currently living with dementia in Jersey, approximately two-thirds live at home as opposed to in a care or residential home.
‘Once we realised that by just visiting people in residential care, we were in fact missing out on two-thirds of Islanders living with dementia we decided to create something online to give it a greater reach.
‘Another factor for creating the app came from the fact that many older people living in Jersey don’t have internet at home, meaning a relative can visit them in their home with an iPad and go through the app with them.
‘Very often people with dementia can struggle with short-term memory while having very vivid memories of their childhood and this app should help people reconnect to those memories.’
Ms Layton added that her team worked closely with Jersey Alzheimers while developing the idea to get ‘their approval and valuable input.’
‘The app is very simple and easy to navigate. And we have made the app all about the content as it is aimed at an older audience. We have aimed to make it very lively and colourful,’ added Ms Layton
Michala Graham from Jersey Alzheimers said: ‘Pictures of local history and related items can give people a way to connect with their long-term memories and to connect with familiarity. It is also an excellent method of engaging across the generations: people can form new connections by using a combination of the latest technology and historical events. Using the app will give people affected by dementia a shared purpose and the opportunity to reminisce in a purposeful and rewarding way.’
The team who helped to develop the app included Alex Rive, a history student, and Fred Meyer, a local developer with Cyber Digital Systems Ltd. The app which is being tested by user groups is now almost ready, and set to be launched in November on both Android and Apple systems.
