Artderly

Improving dementia patients movements and communications through game design

Overview

During my junior year, I took the Design for the Aging class and had an opportunity to collaborate with the Dementia Day Center at Chulalongkorn Hospital. The goal of the project is to create a product as a game that helps slow down the symptoms of dementia patients in a preventive way.


I conducted full research with doctors, physiotherapist, nurses, and developed the product from ideation to implementation, and tested with real patients.

Collaboration

Dementia Day Center, Chulalongkorn Hospital

Collaborator

Dementia doctor, nurses, physiotherapist, caretakers

Role

User interview, UX research, product design, prototyping, implementation

Duration

January - April 2020 (4 months)

The challenge

The Day that patients come to the Dementia Day Center, patients will get to use energy during the day. They do activities they like and use their bodies, which makes them sleep normally at night.


However, on other days of the week when they don't come to the care center, the patients usually use less energy. This affects their sleep patterns at night and also affects their caregivers.

The Day that patients come to the Dementia Day Center, patients will get to use energy during the day. They do activities they like and use their bodies, which makes them sleep normally at night.


However, on other days of the week when they don't come to the care center, the patients usually use less energy. This affects their sleep patterns at night and also affects their caregivers.

The Day that patients come to the Dementia Day Center, patients will get to use energy during the day. They do activities they like and use their bodies, which makes them sleep normally at night.


However, on other days of the week when they don't come to the care center, the patients usually use less energy. This affects their sleep patterns at night and also affects their caregivers.

Defining users

Types of dementia symptoms according to information from Dementia Day Center

As discussed with the doctors, the target group of this project is patients in mild-moderate stage who have caregivers taking care of them most of the time. They can still do most of the activities they like and have hobbies that they enjoyed in the past. This target group still has the potential to learn new things and maintain existing conditions.

User Journey

By interviewing and observing patients, I was able to define 2 types of user journeys. Understanding user journeys provided me with valuable insights into the user experience. I was able to gain a deeper understanding of user needs, emotions, and pain points.

Key findings

(+)

  • Patients enjoy doing activities that involve movements

  • Patients prefer to do activities with other people

  • Patients tend to sleep better at night after using energy during the day

(-)

  • Patients normally use less energy at home and watch TV most of the day

  • Patients tend to have trouble sleeping at night

  • Caregivers are also affected by patients' bad sleeping habits

Dig deeper to the insights

"Then what kind of activities that patients prefer and still meet the needs of treating disease?"

Using Card Sorting method, I found that patients prefer to exercise, do arts or crafts, and play brain-training games. As such, nurses, physiotherapist agreed that brain-training games are easy to do and the patients like them.

Researching supported theory

Suggested by the doctors, I studied more about Cognitive DSM-5, which is the most common theory in maintaining dementia patients' conditions. The theory allows me to integrate evidence-based practices into my designs.

Suggested by the doctors, I studied more about Cognitive DSM-5, which is the most common theory in maintaining dementia patients' conditions. The theory allows me to integrate evidence-based practices into my designs.

In the theory, the principle where change can be seen most clearly is physical change. When the patient performs repetitions continuously or in sequence, the patient can perform faster and helps restore or maintain that skill.

In the theory, the principle where change can be seen most clearly is physical change. When the patient performs repetitions continuously or in sequence, the patient can perform faster and helps restore or maintain that skill.

Problem statement

How might we help dementia patients improve their movements and communications through fun and stimulating activity?

Ideate, prototype, and test!

By sketching ideas quickly, I could turn my ideas into tangible representations and get feedback early on in the design process. 

After revising and developing the ideas, I created the prototype to test with patients at the hospital.

*There were no photos taken during prototype testing because the Dementia Day Center does not allow photos of patients

Testing matters

Testing the prototype with actual patients helped me identify and address flaws. I found that I didn't think enough about the abilities and limitations of people with dementia. I then went back and adjusted the prototype and details to ensure that the final product meets user needs and expectations.

Complexity

Complexity

As there are different levels of dementia stages, the design should cover a wide range of patient conditions.

Visibility

Visibility

Font size should be larger and color visibility should be clearer, as dementia patients find it difficult to distinguish small font sizes and similar colors

Usability

Usability

A number of patients use wheelchairs most of the time, so the design should accommodate these needs

Product size

Product size

The board should be large enough to allow the patients to reach and stretch their muscles

Encourage dementia patients to do their favorite hobbies by creating art and playing brain games. We integrate stretching exercises both fine and gross motor skills, helping patients use their bodies more while at home.

How to play

How to play

Mount the board on a tabletop or wall

(For wall, ensure it's at a level matching your maximum reach)

Mount the board on a tabletop or wall

(For wall, ensure it's at a level matching your maximum reach)

Choose cards based on difficulty level and desired format.

Choose cards based on difficulty level and desired format.

Place color pieces in the correct position from the selected card.

Place color pieces in the correct position from the selected card.

Flip the card over and string rope on the board to create artwork.

Flip the card over and string rope on the board to create artwork.

Benefits

Benefits

Physical

Fine motor skill

Gross motor skill

Hand-eye coordination

Visouspatial ability

Emotional

Remind their hobbies

Build good relationship with caregiver

Small wins from playing

Card details

Card details

The picture cards are divided into 3 difficulty levels to allow for gradual practice.

Additionally, the entire design has rounded edges for added safety while playing.

The picture cards are divided into 3 difficulty levels to allow for gradual practice.

Additionally, the entire design has rounded edges for added safety while playing.

Impact

As a result of collaboration between students, hospitals, and healthcare professionals, the "Artderly" project represents a powerful combination of creativity and medical expertise. The design helps promote a holistic well-being. A positive effect made by my design on patients’ lives motivated me to create more meaningful projects.

I developed the design further with a team from other faculties and won in “Innovation for Aging Society” by Japanese Chamber of Commerce.

I developed the design further with a team from other faculties and won in “Innovation for Aging Society” by Japanese Chamber of Commerce.

I developed the design further with a team from other faculties and won in “Innovation for Aging Society” by Japanese Chamber of Commerce.

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Moreover, the design also earned FabCafe Prize from “Innovative Game Design Challenge'' international game design by FabCafe and AWRD.

Moreover, the design also earned FabCafe Prize from “Innovative Game Design Challenge'' international game design by FabCafe and AWRD.

Moreover, the design also earned FabCafe Prize from “Innovative Game Design Challenge'' international game design by FabCafe and AWRD.

Read More

What I learned

The power of empathy

Interviewing dementia patients can be challenging, the interview process has to ensure sensitivity and respect patient's well-being.

Interdisciplinary collaboration

By collaborating with doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and caretakers, the project benefits from a diverse set of perspectives.

User-centric innovation 

Placing patients at the center of design and understanding a patient’s needs deeply leads to a successful design solution. 

Copyright © Sirinda Limsong 2023

Copyright © Sirinda Limsong 2023

Copyright © Sirinda Limsong 2023