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28 April 2009 - Klessebessers at "Hart van Nederland" (Dutch TV program)

Together with Helma van Rijn I designed ‘de Klessebessers’, "the Chitchatters". For more information please visit www.klessebessers.nl (in Dutch).. De Klessebessers offer people with dementia a group activity to recall memories using multimedia from the Dutch national media archive "Beeld and Geluid". From analysis phase till production we consulted people with dementia in day care centres and the people around them. Helma and me won a grant from the Dutch government to develop the concept into a final product.

• Klessebessers nominated for the People's Design Award 2009 of the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in New York.
  • September 2009 - Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum - People's Design Award 2009
• Care centre wins first Klessebessers set
  
  • 28 April 2009 - Omroep Brabant (another TV interview about the Klessebessers)
  • 27 April 2009 - Trouw (News paper article in Dutch)
  • 28 April 2009 - Eindhovens Dagblad (News paper article in Dutch)
• Klessebessers on display at the Dutch Design Week 2008
  • 18 October 2008 - Elsevier - (Article in popular medical and scientific magazine in Dutch)
  • 18 October 208 - Transmitter.nl (Article in pharmaceutical marketing magazine in English)
• Nominee Dutch Design Award 2008
  • www.dutchdesignawards.nl
• Winner Design competition "vergeethenniet" ("don't forget them")
  
  • 7 November 2007 - Brabants dagblad - announcement nominees (news paper article in Dutch)
  • 9 November 2007 - Brabants dagblad - announcement winner (news paper article in Dutch)

Helma van Rijn used the design exploration as an introduction for her Phd research ‘difficult-to-reach’ user groups (users with cognitive disabilities/disorders). Additionally, the product was used in research on technological innovation in living environments for elderly and research on interaction between people with dementia. Both researches show that "the Klessebessers" have a positive effect on the quality of life of people with dementia. But "the Klessebessers" also offer a positive experience for caretakers and everybody else who sees the charm of nostalgia.

• van Rijn, H., van Hoof, J., Stappers, P.J. (2008) Designing De Klessebessers: a Leisure Game for People with Dementia. ISG08: Smart technology for active longevity, June 4-6, 2008, Pisa, Italy. download PDF
• van Rijn, H., van Hoof, J., Stappers, P.J. (2010) Designing Leisure products for people with dementia: developing ‘the chitcatters’ game. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & other dementias. view PDF online
• Nijhof, N., van Gemert-Pijnen, J.E.W.C., van Rijn, H., van Hoof, J., Seydel, E. (2010) The Chitchatters: a leisure activity for people with dementia to stimulate social interaction, poster presentation at ISG2010, May 27-30, Vancouver, Canada. Download summary