Describe the creative idea

As a telco that believes that digital solutions can help ensure no one gets left behind, Maxis wanted to show how digital tools can make a difference during Chinese New Year. Memories are Chinese New Year’s most enduring gifts. But with 6.3% elderly Chinese Malaysians suffering from dementia and 261,000 Malaysians projected to suffer from dementia by 2030 (Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia, 2016), the joy of these memories are lost for a growing number of Malaysians. Coping with dementia is also stressful for the families. One of the time-tested dementia management therapies is reminiscence therapy. But it often relies on generic nostalgic photographs in a manual, one-to-one process with trial-and-error. And because communication skills deteriorate with the condition, patients can’t always communicate what triggers their recollection better. Data is king. What if we could use data analytics to make reminiscence therapy smarter, personalised and more accessible?

Describe the execution

We worked with renowned experts in the field like the Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation of Malaysia, Dr. Joseph Guan (Neurotherapist), Dr. Rizah Mazzuin (Head of Geriatric Unit, Hospital Kuala Lumpur), Dr. Ungku Ameen (Head of Geriatric Unit, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah), care centres, families and patients to understand, test and develop our solutions. First, we launched RE:collection, a free app that uses data analytics to learn what triggers matter. Families could upload personal photos and videos anytime, anywhere. Seniors with dementia can access them through a simple, elderly-friendly interface to trigger memory recall. And from the usage behaviour, smart analytics help families understand what content and conversation topics work best, giving them ideas for content, conversations or activities. The app also optimises itself based on the data, delivering the content most likely to trigger recall. We then went a step further. Working with Novena Medical Centre neurotherapist Dr. Joseph Guan and leading human-computer interface expert Dr. Andrew Yew, we developed The Unforgettable Memory Band: a wearable that unlocks data in your brain for real-time personalised reminiscence. The headband analyses brainwave response to content or conversations. It gives you insights on if the stimulus triggers memory recall, and if it’s a calming or distressing memory. Allowing you to adapt conversations, content and therapy in real-time. After beta tests and demos to care centres, geriatric doctors and the ADFM, as well as public demos at our stores, we’ve generated interest to deploy the system in more centres. We hope that with this, what started as a Chinese New Year campaign may lead to meaningful long-term impact in the lives of Malaysians coping with dementia, for years to come.