By Santina Piazzese Spratte, Research and Product Strategist at Almaya
In life, and more so when a relative is experiencing cognitive decline, it is not uncommon for families to want to freeze time, to cherish a given moment for as long as humanly possible. But how do you do that?
Wellbeing and technology have never been closer than right now in the 21st century, and recently, a tool was developed that helps preserve those moments.
Almaya is an app that aims to help people in the process of creating a Legacy for years to come. The app is fairly straightforward to use: a person can record audio or video of themselves answering one of the 400+ prompts that Almaya has to offer. Like, “what is your favorite recipe” or “what is your earliest memory?” These prompts were designed by a team of psychologists and philosophers, aiming to provide a path that is enjoyable as well as stimulating.
What makes the platform particularly innovative is the fact that it is not only an archive of stories, but instead it allows for a wide range of recordings that truly form an emotional and varied picture of a person’s self. This is achieved by recording into 6 different categories: History, Advice, Joy, Future, Recipes, and Wisdom, each of which has their own subcategories and questions to answer.
Almaya and VTI share many common values such as being person-centered, respecting and cherishing our relatives’ wellbeing and considering the family and care network.
Caregivers and families can benefit from using Almaya with their loved ones for more than one reason:
First, the app gathers exactly the sort of history that we find critically important when we validate
Second, it’s a great activity for older adults to do either on their own or with their relatives/support team. It’s a way for a caregiver to spend quality time with a person, creating a legacy while recording their content in Almaya.
Third, it can connect those who are apart. The content that is created can be seen and listened to all around the world by family members or loved ones who cannot be by this person’s side physically.
Fourth, for older adults who might benefit from cognitive stimulation, the wide range of questions available in Almaya require different levels of introspection, making it a great tool to practice cognitive skills, as well as an accessible one: there is a question for everyone.
Almaya will ensure to safekeep all the recorded content, making a Legacy that will last and be a gift for new generations.
Learn more about Almaya at https://www.almayalife.com/ and download it on your smartphone to try it out.