GUIBSA

What it does

51% of older adults in Mexico cannot access formal caregivers, meaning that relatives without training in care attend to these people, leaving the elderly alone for long periods. GUIBSA ensures the caregiver that the elderly is taking its medicine correctly.

Your inspiration

Sara, one of the members of the project, has spent the last 6 months living with her grandparents, she and her family are in charge of covering all the needs and they noticed the difficulty of organizing and giving so many medications at so many hours of the day. An adult over 70 years of age takes, on average, 9 to 11 different pills at least 3 different times, making organization very complex. She also noticed that her grandparents were spending too much time unattended, which is not only very dangerous but also triggers sadness in the grandparents.

How it works

To use the dispenser, the application must be downloaded on a smartphone connected to Wi-Fi, once the installation is done, the application must be connected to Alexa to activate the Skill that will take control of the dispenser and the metrics of the elderly. Finally, it is important to connect Alexa with the dispenser using bluetooth. In order to start, all the pills must be emptied into the back of the dispenser and it will automatically begin to store them inside. In this same process, the application must be told what the name of the drug is, the number of pills that were placed in the dispenser and the frequency with which the pill should be released. The dispenser will notify the caregiver when the medication is about to run out and suggest buying more. Alexa will keep track of the mood of the older adult by asking him questions daily and thus be able to notify the caregiver in case of noticing any depressive pattern that should be addressed.

Design process

We note that in the process of old age, many older adults experience depressive episodes due to the loss of their faculties, discrimination, loneliness, constant body discomfort and lack of economic resources. We wanted to give them something that would give them more independence while also making sure to catch symptoms of depression early so it can be treated. Thus, we also note the misuse of drugs practiced by older adults who do not have caregivers and experience greater loneliness. We began the design process that led us to test different methods to dispense so many pills of so many different sizes and shapes in a single smart device without the drugs ever losing their benefits by being in a clean, antibacterial and hermetically sealed material. The design is simple and does not have any screen or button so that the older adult sees it as one more element inside the house and not as an impossible technology.

How it is different

Alexa not only notifies the older adult that he must take his treatment but also becomes a company for him. It asks about his mood, his goals for the day, the fulfillment of these and his habits. This ensures that the older adult is in good mental health. Alexa keeps the caregiver informed of this status as a precaution against depression. This system frees the caregiver from the task of organizing pills but also of buying them, since the application will notify when to buy more and will suggest pharmacies with home delivery to make this process as easy as possible.

Future plans

The next step to follow is the development of a functional physical model together with an application that activates the dispenser. A skill must also be programmed in Alexa capable of connecting with the app and with the dispenser as well as asking the relevant control questions. In the long term, it is planned to generate agreements with pharmacies that already sell home delivery to obtain a commission for each drug purchased using the GUIBSA app. and thus reach more caregivers and the elderly, facilitating their coexistence and making the experience of aging lighter.

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