TANGIBLE MEMORIES: A story creator app for

people living with dementia

Gill Roberts, Alive! Dr Helen Manchester, University of Bristol

UKDC 2016

About the Project

• An interdisciplinary project in collaboration with residents and service users in 6 care settings in Bristol and North Somerset.

• Aim: to build a sense of community and shared experience by capturing people’s personal stories and memories and co-designing objects alongside them.

The Collaborative Team

Bristol University researchers from Graduate School of Education and Dept of Computer Science, led by Dr Helen Manchester and Dr Kirsten Carter

Residents and staff in care settings: Blaise Weston Court, Orchards (St Monica Trust), Stokeleigh Lodge, Acer House, Britannia Day Centre, Deerhurst

Digital artists including Stand + Stare and Heidi Hinder

Alive! –a charity dedicated to promoting a person-centred, whole-home approach in care homes through training, coaching and activities.

Tangible Memories PrototypesTechnological prototypes were tested in care home settings, including:

• Tangible Memories app - enables people to create interactive life story pages and books.

• Also:• An interactive rocking chair

• A tactile patchwork cushion, personalised to play favourite music or audio stories

• A ‘pick up to play’ music app

Tangible technologies can impact directly on quality of life through:

• Building different kinds of relationships of care

• Building relationships between residents

• Building intergenerational relationships

Learning from the project

We also learned …

• You can use the app for life story sessions or projects

• You can use the app for documenting things that people do or enjoy through the day

• Devices need to be kept somewhere easily accessible

• Staff need to be supported to dedicate time to doing it

www.tangible-memories.comwww.aliveactivities.org