An App For Medication Reminders

People Magazine ran a story last week about six Kentucky Middle-Schoolers (you read that right) who have created an app to help those with dementia and Alzheimer’s to remember to take their medications. “The Meyzeek Middle School seventh-graders recently became one of eight teams to win the prestigious Verizon Innovative App Challenge, earning $20,000 for their school’s STEM learning and a chance to bring their app to life with the help of Massachusetts Institute of Technology coding experts.”

Kentucky Middle School Girls Develop App to Assist Alzheimer’s and Dementia Patients: ‘This Is a Tribute to My Grandfather’ explains the project is the brainchild of Ellie Tilford who experienced first-hand the struggle for many of those with dementia to remember to take meds. “The girls’ concept, Pharm Alarm, sends alert messages to patients when it’s time to take their meds – if they forget, family members and doctors are immediately notified.” Not only does the app have the alarm that alerts the phone-tree of contacts, it also  includes “a pill log, which allows caregivers to scan in medicinal information through a pill container’s labeled barcode, and a compliance graph for doctors to measure what percentage patients are taking their pills and attending doctor appointments.”  The article notes that the app should be available for download in June of this year.  

Thanks to Stetson Law alum Erica Munz for sending me the link to the story.