Legacy Organiser iPhone App helps patients to enhance their lives

Legacy Organiser iPhone App helps patients to enhance their lives

Legacy Organiser, the world’s first iPhone app that enables users to record information about how they would like their lives to be remembered and celebrated, is collaborating with the Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, in a ground breaking project.

Staff at the hospice believe that Legacy Organiser may benefit their patients and enhance their lives.

The Hospice of St Francis is now using the app as a tool to help participants in clinical consultation sessions, as a facilitator to promote dialogue.

It is hoped that the partnership will demonstrate how this app can improve patients’ lives as they come to terms with their illness.

A patient shares her thoughts at the app, "It made me think about topics like my funeral, but what has been really helpful is that it's sparked off conversations with my husband that we probably wouldn't have had - this has to be a good thing. It might sound sad but funnily enough, it's been really enjoyable... like looking at all our photos and selecting out a few favourites into the app... it's actually given us some real laughs.”

Dr Ros Taylor, Director of the Hospice of St Francis said: “I am enjoying using the Legacy Organiser App with Hospice patients facing an uncertain future - they find it really easy to use and in our meetings we use it to reflect on key moments in their lives which then lead onto special conversations about hopes and dreams for the future.”

The app enables users to store their life history as well as their intentions and wishes for all aspects of their funeral, farewell and will.

Users can also record life defining experiences, photos and songs to create their own “legacy”. All this information can be used for personal reference or passed on to family or loved ones.

Kimberley McLaughin, Director of Supportive Care Services at St Francis said, "The very fact that the app has not been specifically designed for those diagnosed with a serious illness makes it all the more useable - Memoirs like 'After I have gone' and 'Food for my funeral' provide useful opportunities to invite conversations that are often unvoiced."

Staff at the Hospice of St Francis believe there is great synergy with the app and Dignity Therapy, for patients to reflect on the past and look ahead at what is to come.

Morag Cormack, Co-founder of Legacy Organiser explains: “The process of working through the app appears to offer patients the time to take stock and reflect on their lives. We are delighted and overwhelmed that the app is being used in this way and look forward to developing this study project with the Hospice of St Francis.”

 

 

Contact:

Morag Cormack

Co Founder

Legacy Organiser

07979 650 125

The Legacy Organiser App is available from the App Store on iPad, iPhone or iPod touch or at; www.iTunes.com/AppStore.