MEMORY BUTTON

Assistant game for the elderly

“Memory Buttons” is a cooperative grid-based board game about “sewing memories” onto a carpet inspired by my grandparents’ clothes. Players add cloth buttons, tell short family stories, and place personal “memory items” on the board. Together, they create a family carpet that strengthens bonds and gently supports elders in facing possible future memory decline.

The idea for this game comes from my grandpa. When he was in the hospital alone with cancer, he often felt lonely because my parents are really busy. And as his eyesight and memory declined, he began to mix up me and my sister. He loved playing Chinese chess and telling stories, and on weekends he would come home for family dinners. That made me wonder if a simple after-dinner board game could help him feel better and gently exercise his memory at the same time.