HelpMate's September Update
Welcome to our very first update!
This newsletter takes you through everything that has been happening with HelpMate and how we’re approaching our mission to alleviate carer burden and empower those living with dementia to retain their independence.
We will begin by going through our core goals, then reflect on the good, the bad, and the ugly, and finish up with our goals for the next month and our questions for you.
Where we’ve been focusing
Understanding what it is like to care for those with dementia:
Our focus has been deepening our understanding of dementia.
We’ve spoken with 27 people, including carers, researchers and clinicians, which has helped us learn more about the space.
Teamwork and systemisation:
We’ve invested in clarifying our vision, and we’ve been bonding among our team and creating a strong culture.
We’ve also been setting up systems and processes to make ourselves more efficient.
The good, the bad, and the ugly:
Good
We won a hackathon, securing $1,000 for our mission and giving us a priority seat in one of Australia’s leading medical technology accelerators.
Spoke with 27 people in the dementia space, including 15 carers, smashing our goals.
Begun building a network of carers, clinicians, and organisations including Dementia Australia who are eager to work with us in the future.
Our teamwork, camaraderie, and ability to get things done has been fantastic.
Bad
Dementia is a complex condition. We are still figuring out the best way for us to approach it. We’ve tried hard to remain patient and not jump to a solution, instead, doubling down on our efforts to truly understand dementia and how it affects the loved ones who care for those living with it.
Ugly
Though we’ve spoken to more than a dozen carers, we haven’t been able to speak with anyone who has dementia themselves. If you know anybody who would be willing, please, get in touch!
All of the carers we’ve spoken to have had years of experiencing caring for their loved one with dementia. Their insights have been invaluable, but, we’d really like to speak with carers who are working through a recent diagnosis and are still figuring things out. We think that these are the people we’ll be able to help most. If you know anybody in this situation, please, get in touch!
One of our superstar members, Darren, got exposed to a tier one covid site and had to quarantine for two weeks.
We’re a remote team, so the rest of our group was safe, and like the machine he is, Darren got through it without a hitch.
Our focuses over the next month
More interviews and research, we want to deepen our understanding of dementia even further, we want to be veritable experts in the space. 🤓
Test product hypotheses with people living with dementia and carers.
Find a mentor (see our asks section if this is you 😉).
Prepare for the MedTech Actuator Origin Rapid Fire Pitch Round. Winning this contest will give us great access to a web of mentors and the potential to push our idea even further. We hope to see you there. 😊
Our Asks
Do you know anyone in the dementia care space? We’d love a warm introduction 🤗
We’re particularly interested in speaking with people living with dementia. We’d also welcome the chance to speak with loved ones who provide care to people living with dementia, professional carers, those in aged care facilities, or any of the following:Neurologists
Occupational therapists
Geriatricians
Dementia support group members
Neuropsychologists
If you know any experienced mentors in the HealthTech space who can give us some guidance and advice around defining the problem space in the early stages, we’d love to talk!
Thanks so much 💜
Pia, Aryan, Renee, Evan, Darren and Michael from Helpmate