Thanks to the many families who spent several weeks testing every feature of Memo and providing detailed, specific feedback, the developers identified bugs, tweaked instructions, and fine-tuned the display. The Memo now coming to market is vastly different from the Memo of early winter.
What We Learned
The most difficult technical problem proved to be getting the tablet connected to the internet. Memo’s hardware, the Archos 101 tablet, performed perfectly in this function, but there were numerous problems with various cable modems and routers. The most problematic issue: people using their own wireless routers had forgotten their password and it was often very difficult to get help resetting it. In addition, some modems have nonstandard jacks that didn't fit the Netgear router cable we supplied, and tech support from various cable services was uneven. We also learned that it is difficult for 80-somethings (and 50-somethings!) to climb around on hands and knees behind the sofa trying to power-cycle the equipment.
The Fix
We settled on a particular Netgear router that is reasonably priced and has as much power as the Memo software requires. It performed flawlessly in our trials once properly connected to a modem. We recommend this router and offer it to our customers at a small discount.
We also provide a link to the Best Buy Geek Squad setup service. (No, we do not have any financial arrangement with Best Buy.) We recommend that, if your family doesn't have someone with some degree of technical skill, the Geek Squad or cable provider be engaged to set everything up, test it, and make sure it’s working. It is an additional fee on top of the initial cost of the Memo, but there was a world of difference between starting the Memo after hours of frustration with the modem and router and a smooth, pleasurable introduction.
What We Learned
The Archos tablet performed perfectly for our purposes, but the time settings were off when they interacted with the Memo software.
The Fix
To make sure Memo displays the right time, the original software was adjusted and all Memos are now set to the correct time for the time zone in the destination zip code before it is shipped. If the owner of a Memo moves to a different time zone, we can email instructions on how to reset the time, and our tech support staff can walk people through the process.
What We Learned
Caregivers, as well as elders, come to Memo with highly variable degrees of internet and computer experience. Our initial designs for the caregiver website were frustrating for the less experienced. Dozens of questions resulted from small formatting, spacing, and wording designs. Even experienced users reported having to try several times before “getting” something.
The Fix
Largely through trial and error, we developed a standard for formatting the pages, functions, instructions, and wording that seems to work for a variety of users. We still occasionally get suggestions for improvement and will continue to tweak the design of caregiver website, but most users are able to navigate and use the features on the present website without instruction.
What We Learned
Initially, those of us involved in the development of Memo were so focused on technical issues that we didn’t pay enough attention to the human component. We learned that a Memo thrown rather quickly and thoughtlessly as a technical “fix” into a family mileu of love, worry, frustration, confusion, stress, and years of established relationships was unlikely to be successful. Carelessly handled, the introduction of the Memo could worsen a situation instead of helping it.
The Fix
We developed a list of tips about how to introduce the Memo to someone with short-term memory loss. Most families will do most of these things intuitively, but it doesn’t hurt to read over the list – and maybe to remind the cousins to phrase messages positively.
What We Learned
Some elders viewed with Memo with distrust and distaste initially but gradually adjusted to having it around when the families didn’t argue or make a big deal about it. A few elders rejected it outright on the first try, but thought it was “cool” (as one man said) a week later.
The Fix
We encourage caregivers to expect some negative attitudes initially and give it time. Some people adjusted slowly to having the new gadget in their environment. Because the short-term memory is not working well, something new might be annoying or worrisome for a long time before it seems normal. But there are blessings as well as curses to memory loss:
The device that was rejected vehemently in the morning might seem delightful by afternoon.
To support caregivers in “giving it time,” we adjusted our return policy to make it possible for families to keep the Memo for several months and still return it for a partial refund.