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Top Rated Smartphone Applications for people with disability and New Technology Available in Canada

Everyday, thousands of developers are creating new apps for users addressing everything from fitness and nutrition to organization and games.

Many new smartphones applications are now looking at rehabilitation, including acquired/traumatic brain injury, stroke and other disorders often seen in motor vehicle accident survivors.

A simple search of your App store reveals a variety of options to address:

  • Sleep
  • Pain Management
  • Vision disorders
  • Relaxation
  • Coping with Mood disturbances
  • Cognition
  • Speech
  • Fine Motor Skills

Many of these applications can be downloaded for free onto your smartphone and can be used by the individual or in conjunction with a therapy provider.

While most cognitive directed apps were not found to improve cognitive functions, they provide a lot of information about client’s abilities with regards to attention span, memory, problem solving skills =, inductive thinking, and more. They assist with improving client’s insight and awareness about their problems and strengths.

In this blog we wanted to share a list of some top-rated apps and the areas they address.

Peak – A neuroscience-based application, that helps track cognitive skills via memory and attention games, while also creating progress-based challenges for its users.

Constant Therapy – A speech therapy app that addresses speech language disorders for traumatic brain injury, stroke, aphasia and others.

This app offers tailored programs to the users needs. In standardized tests brain injury and stroke survivors, who used this along with their therapy providers have shown significant improvement in their overall therapy.

Headspace – This simple app helps users understand and practice the basics of meditation and can be done in as little as 10 minutes per day.

Virtual HopeBox – This app helps monitor mood, provide cues and remind users of helpful coping strategies. It be used individually or with a therapy provider and allows for personalization through photos, videos, recorded messages from loved ones, music and quotes.

Users can also create their own coping cards to assist with personal problem areas.

Hand Therapy – This app allows the therapist to access over 80 tutorial videos of hand therapy exercises, which can be customized to create a tailored program to improve hand functions.

It can also create reminders for the individual to complete hand therapy exercises on their own and assist with rehabilitation.

In addition to tailored apps for survivors, Bell has recently announced the release of a new smartphone, the DORO 824 and 824C.

This phone is designed with accessibility in mind and offers solutions for impaired hearing, vision, speech, cognitive and for physical (mobility and dexterity) accessibility needs.

The phone also includes benefits such as affordable services (discounted monthly plans), dedicated accessibility call centres and alternative document formats.

To see a list of more top-rated smartphone applications please visit:
www.brainline.org/article/life-changing-apps-people-brain-injury