Recall

Recall – Stay Reminded, Stay Sharp

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Inspiration

The idea for Recall came from a deep desire to help older adults maintain their independence while staying connected with their caregivers. Many seniors struggle with memory-related challenges, making it difficult to keep up with appointments and daily tasks. We wanted to create a solution that not only reminds them of important events but also keeps their minds engaged through cognitive activities, fostering mental well-being.

What I Learned

Throughout the development of Recall, I gained valuable insights into:

  • Accessibility in App Design: Ensuring that the user interface was intuitive for elderly users.
  • User Authentication & Data Management: Implementing secure login systems and efficiently handling user information.
  • Puzzle Generation Algorithms: Exploring the basics of generating cognitive activities, setting the foundation for future enhancements.

How I Built It

  • Frontend: Built with React, designed for simplicity and ease of navigation for elderly users.
  • Backend: Developed using Node.js and Express, handling caregiver inputs, user authentication, and appointment management.
  • Database: Utilized MongoDB to store user information, including appointments, caregiver associations, and medical details.
  • Authentication: Implemented with JSON Web Tokens (JWT) to ensure secure user sessions.
  • Puzzles (In Progress): Created the foundation for a custom word search puzzle generator to provide cognitive engagement activities in future versions.

Challenges Faced

  1. User Accessibility: Designing an interface that is senior-friendly while maintaining functionality. We refined the UI with larger buttons, simple navigation, and clear fonts.
  2. Secure User Management: Learning and implementing JWT authentication and managing different user roles (caregivers and elderly users) for secure access control.
  3. Puzzle Development: While we began working on a word search puzzle generator, fine-tuning the algorithm and ensuring user interactivity proved complex, leaving it as a feature for future development.

Conclusion

Recall is more than just an appointment tracker—it’s a step toward supporting cognitive well-being and caregiver collaboration. By blending reminders with plans for engaging puzzles, we aim to make daily life smoother and more enjoyable for seniors, while giving caregivers peace of mind.

The journey of building Recall reinforced my passion for accessible technology and user-centered design. I’m excited to continue developing this project and enhancing its features in the future!

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