Tend
Creating a web-based expierences to support remote dementia care
SUMMARY
People living with dementia and their caregivers often face emotional distress, limited access to therapies, and a lack of tools designed for late-stage care. TEND (Toolkit for Experiential WellbeiNg in Dementia) addresses these challenges by providing digital experiences that prioritize emotional connection, reduce anxiety, and encourage shared moments of joy.
TIMELINE
2024
PLATFORM
Web - Desktop
CLIENT
Studio Elsewhere
TOOLS
Figma
Next.js
Three.js
MY ROLE AND TEAM
UX Engineer
I worked as a UX engineer, contributing across the full product development process. I collaborated closely with a UX researcher, UX designer, and product manager—assisting in user interviews and contributing to early design conversations.
Alongside two other engineers, I developed the frontend experience, translating research insights and design decisions into an interactive, emotionally resonant platform for patients and caregivers.
CORE FEATURES
Emotion-based Modules
Interactive activities like Conversation Cards, Poem Generator, and Photo Safari support emotional engagement and shared reflection between caregivers and patients.
CORE FEATURES
Island Navigation
Skeuomorphic island metaphor allows for non-linear exploration, reducing cognitive load and promoting autonomy in navigating the experience.
CORE FEATURES
Dyadic Design
All modules were intentionally designed to be experienced together by the patient and caregiver, supporting emotional bonding and co-creation.
UXR
Main discovery pillars for our approach
Emotional Safety
How can we design digital spaces that reduce anxiety and provide a sense of calm for people with dementia?
Caregiver Connection
What experiences foster meaningful, shared moments between patients and their caregivers?
Cognitive Accessibility
Which design elements support orientation, ease of use, and engagement for users with neurocognitive impairments?
KEY INSIGHTS
Bridging Gaps in Dyadic Dementia Support
Through Zoom interviews with dementia patients and caregivers while collaborating with experts from researchers at Harvard Medicine, Yale’s CANDLab, and Mass General Hospital—we identified key emotional and practical barriers in dementia care.
Access Barriers
Traditional methods face barriers including cost, transportation, and lack of treatments designed for advanced dementia stages.
Dyadic Gap
There’s a need for tools that meaningfully engage both the person with dementia and their caregiver together.
Emotional Distress
Both patients and caregivers face high levels of anxiety, stress, and emotional fatigue during the care journey.
Engagement Factors
Effective tools must support positive emotions, sustained attention, and reduce overstimulation or confusion.
DESIGN GOAL
Create intuitive, emotionally resonant experiences that foster connection
Our goal was to build a toolkit that felt natural to explore, minimizing cognitive friction while maximizing emotional engagement for both members of the care dyad.
DESIGN EXPLORATIONS
Progressive Onboarding Flow
To help patients and caregivers feel personally guided, we developed a minimal but warm onboarding sequence. The introduction oriented users gently, allowing returning users to skip ahead while offering new users a clear, simple path forward.
The onboarding flow provided users with a brief introduction to the platform’s purpose, with the option to skip if already familiar. This built psychological safety and gave caregivers agency over the experience. The design emphasized friendly tone, large buttons, and simple copy, avoiding cold or clinical language.
DESIGN EXPLORATIONS
Island Skeuomorph Navigation
The island skeuomorph gave users a clear, bounded world to explore at their own pace. Each module was visually represented as a different location, with soft hover states and orb-like buttons encouraging curiosity without overwhelming the screen. The layout emphasized equal visual weight for all areas, signaling that there was no "right" order and no failure state.
DESIGN EXPLORATIONS
Fostering meaningful dialogue
Caregivers and patients navigated simple prompts together using tap-based interaction. Prompts were intentionally open-ended and non-triggering, focused on light reflection and memory. I designed the full flow, including hover states, success indicators, and a layout that emphasized ease of use over dense text. The cards encouraged gentle back-and-forth exchanges and supported moments of laughter, storytelling, and emotional grounding.
“Not much interests them in our daily routine, but this did. I think it’s because it was just far enough into fantasy to spark imagination.”
— Caregiver, Dyad 2
“It was like a children’s book—choose your own adventure. Spontaneous and calming.”
— Person Living with Dementia, Dyad 1
ITERATING THROUGH FEEDBACK
Refining the experience based on user testing
User testing with patient-caregiver dyads revealed key usability gaps, particularly around onboarding and module clarity. Many participants were unsure how to begin activities or what was expected of them once inside a module.
To address this, we made two major updates:
1. Added guided instructions before each module
We introduced simple, friendly onboarding screens to orient users before every activity. These instructions reduced confusion and gave users confidence in what they were about to do—supporting autonomy without overwhelming them.
2. Transformed Observation Tower into an interactive game
Originally a passive visual exploration, the Observation Tower module was redesigned into a more engaging “search-and-find” experience. We incorporated conversation cards tied to each scene, encouraging users to observe, reflect, and respond together. This shift made the module feel more purposeful and significantly improved engagement.
TAKEAWAYS
Adapt to change
Designing effective interventions for dementia care requires empathy, rigor, and interdisciplinary collaboration
Design with emotional outcomes in mind
This project reinforced that the goal isn’t always functionality—it’s how the experience makes someone feel. Every UI decision was grounded in the question: Does this reduce stress? Does this foster connection?
Collaboration is essential in healthcare innovation
In healthcare environments, priorities shift often. Throughout this project, I adapted to evolving feedback while keeping patient needs at the core of every iteration.
Every detail contributes to accessibility
Each design choice prioritized accessibility—whether through simplified visuals, defined medical terms, or intuitive navigation—to support a wide range of users, including those with varying health literacy levels.
REFLECTION
Bridging design and care through thoughtful, research-informed technology
This project deepened my understanding of what it means to build technology for vulnerable populations. Designing for individuals with dementia required me to balance emotional sensitivity with clinical precision, ultimately crafting experiences that felt intuitive, calming, and dignified.
Through close collaboration with clinicians, researchers, and caregivers, I learned how to translate complex research findings into accessible, engaging digital tools. The experience emphasized the value of iterative feedback, cross-disciplinary teamwork, and a deep commitment to human-centered care in healthcare product development.
