Metro Detroit teen creates app for those with Alzheimer's, inspired by late grandfather

FOX 2 - A senior in high school was inspired by his grandfather with Alzeihmer's - he wanted to improve his quality of life and care, so he created an app.

The backstory:

It's called Recollect - and now Qassim Bazzi is sharing it with the world.

Recollect is an app that was imagined by and created by Bazzi - a senior at Detroit Country Day High School.  

Deena: "So you have Memories first, what's on that page?"

"Family members and caregivers can add memories of family members or relatives of the loved one with Alzheimer's," he said.

The app is both personal, filled with pictures, and it is practical with tools to help manage medication and moods.

"And here you can mark the patient's mood," he said. "Let's say you have multiple caregivers in one day, and the caregivers are on long shifts, and they want to see what they are walking into."

As Bazzi saw Alzheimer's impact, he wondered how technology could help.

"How do we have these medications that can slow this progression that can help him - but we can't even keep track of who gave it to him, in this age of technology," he said.

So the determined teen taught himself how to write code and eventually his app was born.

Recollect does way more than track meds. Qassim thoughtfully created a way to add audio to pictures as a clue to help push the person to tap into memories.

When you show him a video, it's like you are giving him the entire puzzle," he said. "There's nothing for him to figure out.

"But when you're giving him things to remember to such a far extent, that he can connect the dots himself — that's when he interacts with it, no matter how far into the stage he was."

Deena: "Well this is pretty amazing, this app."

"It's incredible," said Jean Barnus.

Barnus, with Alzheimer's Association of Michigan, explains how creating any connection — even for just a few seconds — is significant.

"It creates great moments of joy and bonding there in the moment," she said. "And that's pretty much what you have when you are caring for someone with Alzheimer's - is those moments to moments."

"It's something I felt we needed because we lost so much time with my grandpa because of these issues that, again, shouldn't have existed," Bazzi said.

Grandpa passed before Qassim could show him Recollect, but his memory is very much alive.  
 
"The app addresses issues in the care system that I witnessed first-hand," Bazzi said.

Deena: "He really helped you create this app."

"Oh yes, 100 percent," Bazzi said.

Deena: "And is probably still helping you."

"Oh yes, 100 percent," he said.

We say still helping, because Qassim Bazzi is constantly improving his app based on what he saw in grandpa and responding to people all over the world who are using it, and loving it. 

If you are looking for it, use a teal green — and it's called Recollect. You can search for dementia care, if you want to download it. It's free.