Use of a Portable Voice Organizer to Remember Therapy Goals in Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To test the efficacy of a portable voice organizer in helping people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to recall therapy goals and plans discussed with their clinical case managers. DESIGN: Prospective within-subjects trial, in which individualized therapy goals were randomly assigned to intervention or no intervention. SETTING: Comprehensive postacute TBI rehabilitation program. PARTICIPANTS: Ten people with moderate to severe TBI enrolled from 3 months to 18 years after injury. OUTCOME MEASURE: Memory for therapy goals. Clinicians generated statements describing six current therapy goals, half of which were randomly assigned to be recorded on a voice organizer during the next case management session. Participants selected three times per day to listen to the recorded goals, prompted by an alarm. One-week recall was tested using both free- and cued-recall formats. RESULTS: Recorded goals were recalled better than unrecorded goals and appeared to be associated with better awareness or follow-through with therapy objectives. CONCLUSION: Portable electronic devices have the potential to assist with treatment areas beyond tasks involving prospective memory.