A student from the Edinburgh Napier University has created a reminiscence therapy tool kit which is designed to help dementia patients recall past memories.
The Forget Me Not Box contains a number of tools that are used to activate the five senses, bringing joy to those with dementia while also helping retain their identity.
The kit is fully customisable so patients can explore memories and senses that are unique to them.
Its lid allows photographs to be displayed while the built-in speaker can play a patient’s favourite songs as well as voice notes from family and friends.
The box’s taste cards come with photographs and descriptions of a person’s favourite foods, while the scent bottles allow them to recall familiar smells such as similar perfumes.
All of this keeps a dementia patient’s identity, something which can often be lost particularly in a care home setting.
Furthermore it can be used to improve communication between family members, acting as a conversation starter when people come to visit.
Christy Orr is in the final year of her graphic design degree and created the box as part of her major project after her family’s past experiences with the disease.
“My grandma passed away from Alzheimer’s when I was younger so that’s kind of what motivated me to do the project,” Christy told NR Times. “She was diagnosed when I was quite young, but I do remember the whole diagnosis process.
“That was one of my earliest memories of her. I was there throughout all her dealings with Alzheimer’s until she passed away.”
“The box is mostly about identity and the fact that you still are that person even when you are diagnosed with dementia.”
Christy completed her dissertation around the causes of dementia worry and one of her main findings was this loss of identity among these patients.
This is what the Forget Me Not Box is aiming to do and has already shown its impact, having been tested on people at various stages of dementia.
She has been assisted by both CogniHealth and the Dementia Forward charity with the project, who are looking to help her take the product to market.
“I’ve got the business limited at the moment,” Christy said. “I just need to sit down and think about how the box will actually be made, because currently it’s being made as a prototype out of the things that I had available at the time.
“It’s been sent out for testing and I’ve had some user feedback so far. I was sent some photos from a woman whose mum has dementia and she is in a care home.
“She gave her the box and put her own music in the sound module and some scents in the smell bottles, but she was most interested in the taste cards I created.
“It’s got different food and drinks or anything that you can taste on them, with a little description so it’s usually interesting reading them for those with dementia.”
Christy has also had a lot of help from Edinburgh Napier University, who think the box is a great idea.
“The university has been really supportive,” she said. “I haven’t actually received feedback or got my grade for my major projects yet but it’s been really good so far.
“They created a video about the box and posted it on social media to get the word out about it and they’re excited that I want to continue it on as well, more than just a project.
“I do want to get it to market because I think it’s a thing that could really help people.”
Although the Forget Me Not Box is still in the trial stages Christy wants to start distributing it as soon as possible to show its power.
Not only is the device helping those with dementia but it is also educating others around what it is to live with the condition, showing people that it is possible to live happy with a diagnosis.
“I think the box itself raises awareness that you don’t lose yourself to dementia and that you can still talk to that person that you know with the condition.
“Whether it be you grandma, a family member or a friend they are still the person that they are and the box enforces that.”
