Door Camouflage for Alzheimer's Patients

Alzheimer's disease affects 5 million people in the United States alone, yet there are very few products designed to help patients and caregivers address the complex problems the disease creates. This photo display shelf aims to prevent Alzheimer’s patients from wandering out of their house by disguising the front door and distracting them with happy memories of their life.

Made entirely of paper and using the simple mechanism of a folding pop-up card, this product aims to solve one of the biggest problems for Alzheimer's patients at a very low price point. A caregiver installs the product on the back of the door just above the handle. When closed, the shelf lays flat and blends into the door. The shelves then fold down to reveal three-dimensional picture frames and cover the door handle. This project aims to alter a dangerous behavior and turn it into a moment of joy

The Door Camouflage is currently on display at the Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt Design Museum as part of the Access+Ability exhibition, through September 2018.

This product also received a Runner-Up Core77 Design Award, was part of an exhibition that won an Editors' Award at ICFF 2017, and was exhibited at the 2017 Global Grad Show in Dubai.