Getting Old & Forgetting Things.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH / CO-DESIGN / ACADEMIC WRITING

Getting Old and Forgetting Things is the title of my PhD thesis, which I completed as part of a web design project called Living Well with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). This project set out to develop an online resource for older adults with MCI—a new and controversial diagnosis that sits somewhere between ‘normal’ ageing and dementia. The project was funded by Brain Research New Zealand.

Coming from a background in anthropology, I wanted to look beyond the surface of the MCI diagnosis. Rather than seeing it as an objective medical ‘fact’, I explored how the MCI category is shaped by social and cultural forces, and how it reflects broader trends to medicalise aspects of ageing. I worked closely with older adults, their families, and clinicians to understand how people experience and make sense of this uncertain diagnosis.

Through interviews, fieldwork, and co-design workshops, I found that MCI often left people feeling uncertain and anxious, and that the medical label didn’t always help them navigate their day-to-day lives. For many, issues like loneliness and social isolation felt more pressing than the diagnosis itself. My research also highlighted the need to consider different cultural perspectives on ageing, such as Māori views that emphasise wisdom and growth over decline.

By bringing an anthropological lens to the design process, I aimed to prompt critical reflection within our team about the language we used, the assumptions we made, and the broader impact of design in health. My thesis argues that designers have a unique role in shaping how society understands and responds to new medical concepts—and that we need to be thoughtful about the influence we have as designers working in health.