Case study: Utility of a microcomputer as an external memory aid for a memory-impaired head injury patient during in-patient rehabilitation

Abstract

Memory deficit is one of the most frequent cognitive complications encountered after brain injury. It is recognized as difficult to treat. Over the past decades, various strategies of memory remediation have been used. Among them, prosthetic devices, such as notebooks and alarms, have shown some benefit. This study describes the case of a 22-year-old man who demonstrated deficits in memory and executive function. In an in-patient rehabilitation setting, a microcomputer was introduced as an external memory aid. With this intervention, the patient demonstrated an immediate improvement in the ability to attend every therapy and ask for every medication on his schedule. This case study demonstrates the usefulness of a microcomputer as an external memory aid for a memory-impaired head injury survivor.