Alzheimer’s app a Kiwi first

Alister Robertson and son Hamish check out the new app.

There are more than 70,000 Kiwis living with dementia today, and that number is expected to triple in coming years.

One of these Kiwis, Alister Robertson, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2014, at the age of 60. He saw an opportunity to develop a tool that provided a way for people living with this disease to share their lives and wishes with their whānau and carers, and for them to be able to leave a memento of themselves when they are no longer the person they once were.

My Life’s Journey is the first Kiwi-built app of its kind that encourages people to record things that matter most to them, and that shape who they are – in their own words.

“Having gone through a programme as part of my treatment whereby I was asked to recall moments from my past and record them in a paper-based format, I was interested in creating a digital version to make it easier to manage text and photos, but [which would] also utilise other mediums like audio and video, proven to be more powerful memory tools,” Alister says.

Utilising the same therapeutic format for recalling memory, a psychosocial intervention called Reminiscence Therapy, My Life’s Journey offers 50-plus prompts that invite discussion of past events and experiences to evoke memories and stimulate conversation.

“Although built initially for people living with dementia, we have come to realise that this is a project with long-reaching possibilities [that can help everyone] from older people living in assisted accommodation through to young adults with learning disabilities, to young whānau looking to record milestones and families looking at simply knowing each other a bit better.”

It’s simple, intuitive design and easy-to-follow categories allow the user to tailor their story, in their own words. By downloading text, images and audio, people can fully build a picture of what and who matters most to them, be that old family stories, favourite songs or even much-loved family recipes. It is one central place to keep a bank of memories, just as you remember them.

“How do you want to be remembered by your grandchildren or mokopuna? What key lessons do you want to share with the next generation? By sharing these stories with others, [you] not only enrich your own memories, but deepen your connections to your loved ones. Why wait for your funeral for memories of your past to be shared? And especially when you’re not able to hear them or correct them,” Alister says.

Alzheimers NZ chief executive Catherine Hall is excited about the app’s potential.

“Alister’s app could make a major difference to thousands of whānau in Aotearoa who know someone living with dementia/mate wareware.

“Memories are so important to us as we age, and even more important if we are diagnosed with dementia/mate wareware, and having a means to record them like this and remember that special someone is really beautiful.”

Catherine says the fact Alister can design an app like this while living with dementia/mate wareware shows that just because you receive a diagnosis doesn’t mean you can’t still live positively and contribute to your community. The My Life’s Journey app has been produced with the support of the Ministry of Social Development and Alzheimers NZ. It is free to use and is downloadable via both the App Store and Google Play.

As well as being the brains behind the app, Alister is a well-known advocate for people living with dementia/mate wareware. He sits on the Alzheimers NZ board and chairs the Dementia Alliance International, and was a recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award to Community or NGO Health Services in this year’s Minister of Health’s Volunteer Awards.