Basic Features that Can Serve as Cognitive Aids:

Your clients who have an acquired brain injury may face a number of cognitive challenges in attempting to return to work.  PDAs in their off-the-shelf configuration can help your clients in many ways, some of which are described below:

Reminder alarms can help them:

• Take medications independently
• Get up, get ready and catch a ride to work on time
• Attend appointments
• Take breaks and return to work as scheduled
• Perform other scheduled tasks on time

Contact Lists can help them:

• Keep track of employer/co-worker phone numbers
• Keep track of doctor and other care provider contact information
• Remember names/faces (you can append photos to contact information)

Memos can help them:

• Keep track of multi-step tasks
• Keep track of medications
• Remember passwords, locker combinations and other private information (this information can be password-protected)
• Keep a record of on-the-job tips
• Keep a record of tips on using the PDA

Task (To Do Lists) can help them:

• Plan future tasks and perform them in a stepwise fashion

Digital Recorder Function (Pocket PC and high-end Palms) can help them:

• Record task steps to replay when needed at work
• Record directions around worksite or en route to work
• Record behavioral cues
• Record quick reminder messages (grocery lists, etc.)

World Clock (Palm only) can help them:

• Set wake-up alarms daily

These are the basic PDA features that can help your clients who have cognitive impairment function more independently at home and at work. But many PDAs come with advanced features that can do even more. Let's look at some of these PDAs now.