A 12-year-old Girl Creates A Mobile Application To Communicate With Her Alzheimer’s Sick Grandmother
Emma Yang is a special girl. At the age of 12, he is living a very delicate reality, as well as known to millions of people: a close relative suffers from Alzheimer’s. In his case it is his grandmother, who received the diagnosis almost 5 years ago and who currently resides in Hong Kong. Emma, sometimes from a distance and sometimes when she had the chance to visit her, has seen how, little by little, her grandmother forgot important things.
He began by forgetting his age, he sometimes did not understand why he did not come to eat and why he was so far away. Later, perhaps the most painful thing began for this young adolescent: that her own grandmother confused her with other relatives.
It is not easy to live these kinds of realities. The emotional factor is greatly eroded in this type of dynamics around a person affected by Alzheimer’s. It is hard for those who suffer it and for the family. Emma Yang is in the news for something very special. Something that will not only help your own grandmother, but many other people with Alzheimer’s. Next, we explain what it is about.
“Timeless”: the mobile application for Alzheimer’s patients
Emma Yang’s main fear is that her grandmother will stop recognizing her and that one fine day, her favorite granddaughter will no longer exist in the mind of this kind-faced old woman.
- Sooner or later it will happen. There will come a time when your moments of clarity are like little invitations to the real world where you can connect with yours. Although only once in a while.
- However, and this we cannot forget the rest. Alzheimer’s patients react to something very specific: love, signs of affection, affection.
- Now, it is clear that for a 12-year-old girl this is not enough. He refuses to let his grandmother go forever. He does not want to allow his memory to erase his granddaughter and that bond of complicity that they used to have.
To fight the advance of oblivion, Emma has created a mobile app called “Timeless” to keep important things from fading away. To make the most beautiful and meaningful thing in your life “eternal.”
Technology at the disposal of Alzheimer’s patients
Emma Yang has created in collaboration with Dr. Melissa Kramps, who specializes in Alzheimer’s, a mobile application that has two very specific purposes.
- The first function is called “updates” and is intended to ensure that people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are always in contact with their families. Their children, grandchildren, friends or other close beings interact with them through photos and messages. The application will indicate to the patient at all times who is communicating with him and will remind him of which link they share.
- The other function is called “identify.” In this application the person can review their family circle at all times, remember facts, details, photos, moments.
- In turn, and thanks to the camera, you only have to direct the lens towards a specific person so that the phone reminds you who it is.
Another useful and interesting detail is the one that refers to the agenda. The person with Alzheimer’s will receive a notification every time they try to call a family member more than twice in a day (it will remind them that they have already done so). It will also notify you of upcoming dates to remember and special events such as Easter or Christmas.
A child prodigy with a very clear dream
Emma Yang had some valuable help in creating this mobile app. In addition to her doctor in neurology, Melissa Kramps, she was funded by a scholarship.
- Emma’s parents are computer scientists and work for a company specializing in creating technology based on facial recognition.
- His passion for technology runs in his family. However, this 8-year-old girl was already an expert in web development with HTML and CSS. Plus the secrets of Java and MIT App Inventor applications.
- His professional future has only just begun. However, Emma Yang has only one purpose: to use technology and even virtual reality to help people with Alzheimer’s to safeguard their memory.
- Perhaps in the future, these strategies will be combined with others to achieve this. However, today we know that this application will only be useful for patients who still have some autonomy to use their mobile.
Mobile application for people with Alzheimer’s
In conclusion, this application will be a way to stop the loss of cognitive faculties. However, in more advanced stages, only the daily support of the family and professionals can offer an adequate response to patients. It should not be forgotten that, as the disease progresses, they will be less competent to use a mobile phone. But, above all, this initiative is excellent news for those seeking support in therapy.
