Louisville psychologist creates app to help people with dementia and amnesia

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new iPhone app is helping people with dementia and amnesia.

Lauren Flaherty sees them as her friends and since the Greek word for "friend" is "phren" that's how the app got it's name.

The PhrenD app just dropped this week.

"I'm happy about it, but most importantly, hopefully it can help a lot of people nationwide," Flaherty said.

Flaherty treats patients, and studies the brain as a clinical psychologist.

"It became personal because I do a fair amount of neurological family medical history. And then I also had a lot of really close friends that were touched by it in a way that was personal to me," Flaherty said. "There's such a need, but there's only one of me. So I'm like, how can I like do something about this?"

So, she created PhrenD. It gives people with dementia and amnesia access to games and homework assignments. It is geared to help track progress.

"So you know, if you're doing better, you know, if you're doing worse, you know, if you're staying relatively stable," Flaherty said.

PhrenD mockup.png — PhrenD app gives dementia and amnesia patients access to games, homework assignments and resources. (Photo courtesy of Lauren Flaherty)

It can also help you know when you should see a doctor.

"It gives you hope. It's that simple," Breakout Creative owner, Robert Hatfield, said.

Hatfield has been helping her build the app for the last two years.

"You wish things will turn out better? You wish you could do something. Okay. Now you can," Hatfield said.

The app also provides basic information about the brain and recommended nutritional guidelines.

"It doesn't have to be for you know, older people that are showing signs of memory loss it can be for any body that just kind of wants to maintain what they would they have," Flaherty said.

Flaherty attended the University of Louisville. She also graduated from Ballard High School.

"I've been here since I was four. I love the city. I don't ever plan on leaving. And it means a lot to me to be able to give back," Flaherty said.

The app is free to download, but if you want access to extra resources, you will need to pay about $2.99 a month. Right now, it's only available on iPhones.

For more information, click here.