According to Flurry, as reported on www.techcrunch.com, 86% of our time on the mobile web is spent on apps. When I read this, I thought, “Preposterous! No! I use my phone mostly for calling or texting people, not spending time on apps! I only get on Facebook to check my friends’ statuses, and to tell everyone about my latest recipe, and I hop on LinkedIn to check out the great stories, and I have to answer the questions to Trivia Crack because I’m competing with my husband, and Pinterest has my next spring craft, and…um…yikes.” So maybe I am on apps quite a bit of the time, but I have used them to find ways to connect with people, the world and more often, to research better ways to do my job. So in honor of App love and National Occupational Therapy month, I am bringing you a list of apps that may be useful.
- Visual Anatomy: Available on both iTunes and Android, Visual Anatomy works as a reference tool but also is educational for those needing a brush up!
- Dexteria: Dexteria has several apps that are available on iTunes and Android. They are geared towards the development of fine motor skills (dexterity…dexteria…) and can be used by children and adults. This app has tons of awards so definitely one to put in the ol’ toolbox!
- Cut the Buttons: Yep, it’s a game but more than that, it’s great for those working on fine motor skills. People are having fun without realizing they’re doing their therapy exercises, isn’t that grand? This fun and addicting game can be found on both iTunes and Android.
- MyPainDiary: For people like me who have Fibromyalgia, keeping track of my symptoms and how I manage the pain are both useful information, not only for me but for the therapist. Using this app, available on both iTunes and Android, provides the patient and therapist a great way to identify any patterns (I’m constantly reminded that I need to slow down on certain activities).
- iWriteWords: Only available on iTunes, this useful app helps people work on their letter recognition skills.
Try out these apps and let me know your thoughts on others you have found useful by commenting below. I’m sure other Occupational Therapists that read this blog will be more than interested and will appreciate the knowledge share. One more thought but an important one, thank you to all of the Occupational Therapists who work hard to make everyday activities easier and to help patients get back to the activities they also want to do. Hats off!
Sun Hui (Sunny) Snook graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Truman State University and received a Master’s in Human Services from Bellevue University. She has been in the healthcare staffing field for 11 years, first working with nurses before moving to a nationwide work strategies consultant where her key responsibilities were to coach staffers and hospital managers on effective staffing. In 2009, Sunny started with Aureus Medical as an Account Manager in the Rehab Therapy division, working with both clients and prospective employees. In 2011, she moved to Student Outreach Coordinator. Sunny was named the 2011 Employee of the Year for C&A Industries, the parent company of Aureus Medical Group. Sunny’s current title is Branch Manager – Recruitment and Student Outreach for the Rehab Therapy Division. Prior to working in healthcare staffing, she served as an addictions therapist and residential treatment coordinator for five years.