The particular issue that I have identified is memory loss. I thought that the topic for this challenge was interesting because it seems the topic of and the issues of aging enjoys showing up in many aspects of my current life. One of those being experience studio, where our topic is shaping the future of aging. Before the break, our class took a class to a cafe that allows elderly people and those with dementia to volunteer. I also happened to watch Coco for this class and was reminded of dementia. I decided to build off of this event for my initial idea for this challenge.
I was struggling at first to consider how I might be able to create an empathy tool for this issue. In the end, I took a simple google search and learned more about specific day to day issues regarding this disease. One of the things I learned about was difficulty regarding communication for those who have memory loss. I found that because of their slipping memory, they often have difficulty finding the right word or words, and have to find alternative methods to communicate this idea.
I was still unsure as to how I might make this an empathy device or tool for this circumstance. While I am not sure if this counts as an empathy device, I would like to consider the creation of a game. The purpose of the game is to find a way to communicate without the use of a specific word. Simply put, one player will be forced to be without a word and the other player must determine what the word. But the overall intent is to convey how difficult it might be to find another to communicate without the use of a common word and how those around them may also struggle to understand them.