Smartphone technology: Gentle reminders of everyday tasks for those with prospective memory difficulties post-brain injury

Abstract

Background: Prospective memory is a common deficit following brain injury that can reduce an individuals’ ability to complete everyday tasks. The smartphone is a device that may compensate for these difficulties using the calendar’s prompting function. Reminders can be programmed remotely using email to phone synchronization.

Objective: To explore whether smartphone reminders help people complete pre-identified tasks as compared to when reminders are not provided.

Methods: An ABAB case series design compared reminder present vs. reminder absent phases with regards completion of pre-set tasks. Six participants aged 24–55 with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and five caregivers participated in the study. Both completed a series of questionnaires looking at the impact of the smartphone reminders on everyday memory functioning at pre, post and follow-up. A 3-month follow-up questionnaire assessed continued use of the system.

Results: There was a significant improvement in task completion rates when smartphone reminders were provided. A thematic analysis identified that smartphone reminders improved independence, confidence in coping with memory difficulties and general mood. All participants were still using the system at 3-month follow-up.

Conclusions: Smartphone reminders may provide a cost-effective, accessible and non-stigmatizing tool for participants to compensate for prospective memory difficulties.

• Brain injury
• compensation
• memory
• smartphone
• strategies

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by the Clinical Psychology Department at the University of Hertfordshire and the Hertfordshire Neurological Service for their support throughout this study.

Declaration of interest

This study was funded by Cambridge & Peterborough Foundation Trust as part of the lead author’s Clinical Psychology Doctorate training. This training was delivered as part of a Research Doctorate at the University of Hertfordshire. The authors report no conflicts of interest.