NSCAD students revamp health-care materials for dementia, rehab patients

A local design class has teamed up with long term care home to create new toolkits that support people living with dementia.

University students in Halifax have developed new health-care materials for people with dementia and rehabilitation patients.

Two programs at NSCAD University used their design skills to address gaps in health care and help support these two groups.

A dementia toolkit has been revamped by students to extend beyond memory games and puzzles. It emphasizes independence, physical activity and life skills.

“Most toolkits that are made for people living with dementia focus on the cognitive aspect of the disease with puzzles and memory games, while neglecting the person’s physical, social, and emotional needs,” a release from the university reads.

The toolkits look to address these gaps. Students are presenting their prototype of the dementia kits at Northwood Halifax Campus on Thursday.

“I think the lived experience of being [at Northwood], feeling it and being in the environment will position them better for the future,” said Glen Hougan, associate professor of design. “Because if we’re looking at a human-centered or user-centered design, and you’re not actually interacting with a real user, it’ll be challenging. Design is face-to-face, design is a contact sport.”

Another cohort of students at NSCAD worked with the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation and Arthritis Centre to improve existing Self-Medication Program (SMP) materials to support patients taking medication after leaving the centre. SMP teaches a select group of patients how to manage their medication using one-on-one instruction, printed material and pill organizers.

“The students developed ideas for new tools including: an additional section on the YourHealthNS app to help track medication intake; a new medication reminder app meant to keep patients engaged and motivated throughout the process; a website with learning videos and info sheets; a redesign of pill labels; and a take-home dossier of program information,” the release said.

Students presented their ideas to Nova Scotia Health Friday afternoon at the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page