Interests
Current Work
Macarena leads, coordinates and/or collaborates on several inter and transdisciplinary projects. Her interest and work as a designer are focused on understanding the needs of users in situations of vulnerability, such as people with dementia, caregivers, and people with disabilities; and on the development of products, services, strategies, systems, and design methodologies with an inclusive approach, that allows us to address complex problems, and facilitate representation, transfer of information, and solutions of public interest.
Personal Hero
My Grandmother
Words of Strength
Making connections, perseverance, creative thinking
Vision
To reduce the scale and impact of dementia we need to start addressing dementia with a systemic, transdisciplinary, and inclusive approach, not only focusing on the symptoms of the person but intervening in the whole system we live in.
Strategy
Macarena is researching and designing inclusive, easy-to-apply, and low-cost solutions to intervene in the environments of people with dementia and families, so they can maintain functionality and carry on activities of daily living with comfort and safety.
Impact
As an Atlantic Fellow, Macarena's main goal is to influence and design public policies in Chile to allow people with dementia and their families to live in dementia-inclusive communities where they can be part of society and not be excluded from it.
Motivation
The reality in Chile, a low-income county, is that most of the care for people with dementia is provided by families, and women in particular, within environments that are not adapted for people with dementia, and therefore are extremely challenging.
Education & Experience
Macarena received her Industrial Design bachelor of science degree from the University of Chile, Chile. She has completed several courses and diplomas from different universities on the topics of accessibility, neuropsychology and neuropsychiatric, gender, and aging, among others. After completing her BS degree, Macarena co-founded the Viviendo con Demencia I+D Estudio de Diseño (Living with Dementia R+D Design Studio) in which she is the director and has joined several work groups and projects aimed to research and developing solutions for people with dementia, disabilities, and older adults.
Videos
- Aprobados con Distinción | Appsistente y Viviendo con Demencia—ADN
- Modificaciones ambientales para favorecer la funcionalidad y los SPCD—Centro Comunitario Aliwen
- “Viviendo con Demencias”: caja de herramientas para adecuar el hogar de quienes viven con demencia—Canal 9 Bío Bío Televisión
- Lanzamiento y conversatorio "Hablemos de Vivir con Demencia"
Podcasts
News
Send
Macarena
a NoteHave ideas for global brain health or a collaboration? I would love to hear from you. Feel free to send an introductory note.
