FamiliarWe’re making it easier to stay in touch with someone who has dementia.
Familiar turns a tablet into a simple display for family photos and video calls. The family manages it remotely, so the person using it can stay involved without having to navigate an app or remember which button to press.
The family sends photos to the display.
Illustration · select a tab to see how it worksHere’s how a family uses Familiar.
The family takes care of the setup and the controls. The display can then be as simple as the person using it needs.
Set up the display.
A family member sets up Familiar on a tablet or computer and puts it somewhere the person can comfortably see and hear it. The display shows family photos and can receive calls.
Invite the rest of the family.
Family members can share photos and make calls from their phones or computers. They can also manage what appears on the display, even when they live far away.
Choose how much interaction it needs.
Calls can connect automatically. If the person is comfortable using a touchscreen, the family can enable options such as answering calls and playing voice messages. Those options can stay off when a simpler display works better.
The family can handle the fiddly part.
Even a familiar device can become difficult to use as dementia progresses. Answering a call might involve recognising a notification, finding the right button, and remembering what to do next.
We’re trying to move that work to the people who can manage it. A relative can send a photo, make a call, or change the display remotely. The person receiving it has fewer steps to work through.
Familiar grew out of trying to help my grandmother and share the responsibility of care across our family. That experience still shapes how we think about what belongs on the screen—and what we can leave out.
A few questions about Familiar.
Does my relative need to learn a new app?
The display can work without them opening an app or tapping to answer a call. A family member handles the setup and manages it remotely. Optional features that require a tap can be enabled if they are useful for that person.
Do we need to buy a special display?
Familiar runs on a tablet or computer. If you have a particular device in mind, get in touch so we can talk through the setup before you buy anything.
Do calls always connect automatically?
The family can choose automatic connection or an incoming-call notification that the person answers. You can use the approach that suits their circumstances.
How is this different from Granophone?
Familiar uses a screen for photos and video calls. Granophone works through a regular phone and helps a family share repeated incoming calls, set quiet hours, and play personal recordings when nobody can answer.
Read about GranophoneCould Familiar help someone you support?
If you care for someone with dementia or work with families who do, I’d like to hear about your experience. We can talk through how Familiar works, whether it might fit, and what you would need from it.
Familiar is in early beta. We’re interested in hearing how families use it and what they find difficult.
Email Jean-Marc about Familiar Visit familiar.family
