Eliot E. Zeinaty
With.Me is a health design project that improves the transition from the emergency department (ED) to home. It helps seniors leaving the ED who often feel overwhelmed by medications, instructions, and new responsibilities, especially if they are not ready to absorb critical information.
Using a human-centered design approach, the project draws on interviews with healthcare providers and caregivers, gathers insights from the emergency department context, and incorporates stakeholder feedback to better understand communication and safety gaps during discharge. The research highlights recurring issues such as cognitive overload at the ED, medication confusion, unclear next steps, inconsistent caregiver involvement, and limited continuity of care after patients return home.
In response, the project introduces a hybrid discharge support concept. Its core component, the With.Me Home Recovery Guide provides a patient-facing printed guide to clarify discharge information and make it easier to revisit in the first days at home. The guide helps older adults and caregivers understand next steps, manage medications, and navigate recovery confidently. Additionally, the project offers a web-based check-in tool to support recovery at home after discharge. This tool enables caregivers to monitor recovery by tracking symptoms, mood, and medication use, and helps identify potential concerns or red flags. Based on responses, the tool provides relevant support or resources when additional attention may be needed.
Rather than introducing a large or complex system, With.Me offers a practical, scalable intervention tailored to the realities of emergency care. It shows how thoughtful design can make the return home safer, clearer, and more reassuring for older adults.
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Eliot Zeinaty is a dedicated research designer currently completing a Master of Design in Design for Health at OCAD University. With a background in graphic design and UX/UI, and having studied in Lebanon and Montreal. Eliot brings expertise to visual communication, service design, and human-centered design to improve accessibility and transform care experiences. His current research explores how design can empower older adults during the transition from emergency care to home. Beyond his professional work, Eliot expresses his creativity through playing the piano and nurtures his curiosity by exploring Toronto’s nature trails.
