Happje: Stimulating Collaborative Cooking for People with Dementia

Abstract

People with dementia often experience difficulty performing daily activities, including cooking. Previous studies have focused on creating technological interventions for guiding people with dementia individually through cooking tasks and reducing errors. However, collaborative cooking can often promote social engagement and increase self-esteem. This paper presents the iterative development of an easy-to-use recipe tool Happje with step-by-step instructions designed for and with people with dementia. Throughout the project, 13 iterations of the prototype were built and evaluated in the homes and meeting centres of people with dementia. Happje is designed to meet the cognitive abilities of people with dementia and promote collaboration. Moreover, Happje supports informal caregivers in creating personalised recipes. The present study emphasises the significance of utilising intuitive technology and fostering collaboration in daily living activities to promote autonomy and social engagement for individuals with dementia.