LifeBio Announces Partnership with New York State Office for the Aging to Capture the Legacies of Hospice Patients

The LifeBio Memory App and Journals will be Distributed Through Hospice Organizations Across the State of New York

MARYSVILLE, OHIO, UNITED STATES, May 9, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- LifeBio has launched a partnership the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and the Association on Aging in NYS (AANYS) to rollout an innovative life story project to people in hospice care.

This is the first initiative of its kind in the U.S. to be supported with funding from a state-level unit on aging. Using the LifeBio Memory app to record the voices of New Yorkers, each participating hospice patient will receive back a Life Story Book containing stories, memories and favorite photos to share with loved ones. Audio files will be saved privately and securely. LifeBio will also offer the option of journals for handwriting the stories.

To commence this effort, Becky Preve, Executive Director of the Association on Aging in New York (AANYS), introduced the LifeBio project to the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State (HPCANYS). "The Association on Aging in New York is thrilled to partner with LifeBio, to allow older residents and loved ones to have an opportunity to meaningfully collect and share amazing life experiences for generations to come," said Preve.

During the first month of rollout, HPCANYS hospice association conducted both webinars and emails to introduce LifeBio to hospices statewide. LifeBio created a streamlined process so hospices can request the LifeBio service for patients. "We see a great opportunity for hospice volunteers to work with patients to capture their stories. This LifeBio project makes capturing life stories easier than ever before," said Jeanne Chirico, HPCANYS Executive Director.

In even a one-hour interview, LifeBio Memory voice records the essential information and saves it in a HIPAA-compliant manner. The app asks questions about childhood, family members, school days, work experience, hobbies, accomplishments, life lessons and legacy. In addition, for the "We Honor Veterans" hospice program, LifeBio has a dedicated section of questions covering military service. More than 280 questions are available inside the LifeBio Memory app. Just answering 20-40 questions can provide a very complete LifeBio in a short period of time, resulting in a Life Story Book as a gift to the patient, family and friends.

"Every single person has a story to tell. The LifeBio Memory app was created to help unique people say what matters most in their own voice," said Beth Sanders, Founder and CEO of LifeBio, Inc.

“Malik Evans, the Mayor of the City of Rochester, once shared this wise saying, 'Every time an old person dies, a library burns down.' Targeting LifeBio to individuals at the end of life provides the motivation to capture that life story to share with their families and future generations. The wisdom and experiences of older adults are critical to present and future generations,” said Greg Olsen, Director of the New York State Office for the Aging.

In research studies conducted from 2017-2019, LifeBio's life story approach using reminiscence therapy was found to reduce depressive symptoms and increasing happiness and satisfaction with life. From 2020-2023, the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging conducted focus groups and presented research that showed the advantage of voice recording using the LifeBio Memory app versus the added difficulty of typing or writing memories. LifeBio was the first online biography creation system, and now the LifeBio Memory interface, for iOS and Android tablets and phones, has once again simplified legacy creation even further. LifeBio Memory was developed through funding from the National Institute on Aging's SBIR grant program to improve person-centered care for a growing aging population.

Sanders added, “LifeBio is so excited to bring the LifeBio project to New York State. We applaud the innovative leadership of New York State Office for the Aging, the Association of Aging in New York and the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State. This is a model for states to follow nationwide. We know this will be make a difference in the lives of New Yorkers now and the legacies will live on."

For more information, reach LifeBio at 937-303-4576, visit www.lifebio.com or email info@lifebio.com.

Beth Sanders
LifeBio
+1 937-303-4574
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube

LifeBio Memory video