Page 51 - Changes and Challenges

Dementia
Changes and Challenges
• Flexible application and modification. Devices – digital and ‘real’ need
the ability to be easily reconfigured and adapted for individuals. Our
ability to learn complex new task and to adapt is diminishing. This
should be the domain of the device.
• We don’t need new ways to do old things, we need old ways to do new
things!
The Answer to Who’s Problem?
Each person with Dementia is not only unique, but there form of Dementia is
probable unique to. A sub-type of dementia is often characterised a small
number of symptoms and their impact. There may be many other symptoms
or related problems that affects that individual. I often liken a diagnosis od
Dementia to a meal in in a large suburban supermarket’s food court. Pick your
cuisine, Thai, Mexican, Chinese, Italian etc. This is analogous to the type of
Dementia, FTD, Lewy Bodies, Alzheimer’s etc. Now pick your combination
food from the large smorgasbord from your favourite cuisine. This is
analogous to your symptoms. One symptom may and does occur across
differing forms, while some may be unique to a single form. The severity of
each symptom will vary across forms, differ between individuals and vary over
time for everyone.

Now when offered a solution to our problems, say a reminder clock. Some
people even call them Dementia Clocks – I suppose that’s because they can’t
tell the time, the clock that is, not the person! (See Being Semantic About
Semantics. page 39).Who is it designed for? I may have difficulty in drawing an
analogue clock, but I can still read one.

One Size Fits No-One!
The concept of universal design is good, but invariably can never be universal.
There will always be people and situations where it fails. If a broad approach is
adopted it needs to be easily customised and adapted for each individual as
required. Consider also the variations of each home.

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