Stanford Center on Longevity launched a design challenge last September to put student minds to the task of improving the daily lives of people with dementia and their caregivers and families. Now, Forbes reports, seven finalists have been named from among the 52 teams in 15 countries that submitted ideas for products and services that would help people with cognitive impairment live independently longer. From Forbes:
“Cognitive impairment affects people in such a personal way, the challenge brought out a lot of creativity,” says Ken Smith, Director of Mobility at the Stanford Center on Longevity.
The students who entered weren’t just studying design and engineering. They also came from fields such as nursing, psychology, fine arts and computer science. Dementia affects patients, families caregivers and health providers in a multitude of ways, so the inventions addressed the disease from a variety of angles.
The Design Challenge winner and runners-up will be announced on April 10, when the theme of next year's challenge will be revealed.
Previously: Soliciting young minds to help older adults and A look at the benefits of an aging society
Photo by Kevin Poh
