Managing Daily Life at Home, Work, and Play
Reminders and Alarms for Daily Life
Reliable reminders can be an essential tool for TBI survivors to gain as much independence as possible. There are many helpful tools readily available to help us remember medications, appointments, and things to do. TBI survivors may need more than that, though, including step-by-step reminders to do routine tasks, such as brushing one's teeth, bathing, getting dressed, and more.
Below are a variety of approaches that provide reminder cues for daily life. What matters most is establishing a routine with a system that works best for the TBI survivor's specific needs.
See also Relearning for Daily Life for related articles, books, and ideas to help relearn skills.
Articles and Tips
- Devices for Memory Loss http://cat.buffalo.edu/newsletters/mem_loss.php
Very helpful newsletter article with ideas and simple approaches for reminder helps with daily life needs, routines, and activities. By the Center for Assistive Technology, University of Buffalo.
Reminder Devices and Helps
- Automate Your PDA's Daily HotSync http://skdesigns.com/tbi/tips/pc_schedule_tasks.shtml
Helpful instructions at TBI Resources on how to use your computer Scheduled Task wizard to automate a daily PDA HotSync. These instructions can also apply to scheduling any task or reminder tool. By Shirley Kaiser, TBI Resources.
- Aids to Daily Living http://209.207.189.158/AB1031005/showprod.cfm?&DID=11&CATID=24&ObjectGroup_ID=113
Products by AttainmentFamily.com include multi-function timers, various small and convenient timer devices that record and play step-by-step instructions at specific times, motion-activated, or when needed, a calculator with digital and speech output, photo frames with recordable messages, a variety of picture cue cards, and much more.
- Cadex Reminder Watch & Medical I.D. http://www.bindependent.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=gct111
This watch has 12 daily reminders, snooze feature, emergency Alert information, and more. Available as pendant or choice of bands for wrist.
- Checklists: Resources to Print And Tuck in Your Bag http://family.go.com/utilities/global/checklist/all_lists/all_lists.html
Dozens of ready-to-print lists from what your pet needs to planning Thanksgiving at your home and how and when to prepare food, clean, and more. Very helpful section at FamilyFun.
- Easy Minder Products to Organize Your Life http://www.easyminders.com/Cart/products.htm
Reusable, wipe-clean lists for groceries, errands, tracking your medicines, habit builder lists, and more.
- e-pill Medication Reminders http://www.epill.com/
This company offers an amazingly wide range of products to store and remind you about your medications. They offer pill boxes, dispensers, organizers, medical jewelry and watches, alarm clocks, medication reminders, a wide range of alarm devices, including watches, combination pill organizer/alarms, vibrating alarms, pagers, and more.
- Post-it® Flags http://products.3m.com/usenglish/office/postit.jhtml?powurl=PVH28N8P1JgeF376ZV1HQVgeGST1T4S9TCgv
Great for indexing, labeling, and helping you find and remember. They're easily removable and come in a range of colors, sizes, and types, which can be very helpful with labeling by importance, urgency, the task to be done, a certain day of the week, or other limitless possibilities. By 3M.
- Post-it® Notes http://www.3m.com/market/office/postit/
Post-it® Notes come in very handy and come in a wide range of sizes, colors, designs, and more to suit your needs. This link is to the official 3M site's information and where to buy near you or online.
- Post-it® Self-Stick Easel Pads http://products.3m.com/usenglish/office/postit.jhtml?powurl=6667RNHT30geF376ZV1HQVgeGST1T4S9TCgv
These come in larger sizes that can easily stick to a wall, a table, or other surfaces and include a built-in stand. This link is to the official 3M site's information and where to buy near you or online.
- Timex Data Link Watch http://www.timex.com/html/data_link.html
This multi-function watch has many practical and helpful features, including the ability to synchronize with information on your computer, 5-10 alarm settings (depending on which watch), appointments, timer and stopwatch, and more. The watch comes in several versions to suit your PIM needs, also adding pager availability, Internet messenger with headlines and alerts and more. Prices range from around $45-$70.
Top
Recommended Helpful Tools
Keep it simple with this timer/clock/stopwatch! Reminder alarms, timer (counts up or down), stopwatch keeps track of time. Small enough to keep in your pocket. Under $13.
Digital Timer, Stopwatch, and Clock by Taylor.
Check the temperature outside and have your clock automatically set to the U.S. Atomic Clock.
Thermo-Hygrometer with ExactSet Clock by Oregon Scientific.
Check the weather forecast, the temperature outside, and have your clock automatically set to the U.S. Atomic Clock.
ExactSet Projection Clock with Weather Forecaster by Oregon Scientific.
In association with
Help Support the TBI Resources site.
Message Boards
- Easy Minder Products to Organize Your Life http://www.easyminders.com/Cart/products.htm
Reusable, wipe-clean lists for groceries, errands, tracking your medicines, habit builder lists, and more.
- Message Boards, Bulletin Boards http://www.stacksandstacks.com/scripts/search.html?search_str=message
A variety of bulletin board / message board styles, types and sizes. From stacksandstacks.com.
- Message Boards http://www.containerstore.com/browse/index.jhtml?CATID=221
Choose from bulletin boards, wipe-off boards, magnetic boards, all reasonably priced at The Container Store, containerstore.com.
PDA Software Reminder Tools
PDAs typically come with installed programs such as calendars with scheduling capabilities and alarms, ToDo lists, address books, and more. They also have alarm capabilities that can be set as reminders. Be sure to check your owner's manual or the company website for specifics about your PDA, as the features and programs can vary.
You may wish to also check out other possibilities or you may want more features than the basic included programs. Below are links to more reminder-related PDA software.
- aAlarm World Alarm http://a0soft.com/WorldAlarm.htm
While this alarm is primarily listed here for its alarm options including sound, backlight, or vibrating alarms, it has many other helpful and handy features, is inexpensive, and highly rated (one of PalmGear's Top 50 downloads http://www.palmgear.com/software/software.cfm?typeID=0&catID=138). Other features include setting alarms for a variety of time zones and has over 700 cities within its built-in GMT and DST information and more.
Having options for a backlit or vibrating alarm is not just for the hearing impaired, as you can not disturb others if you're at the theater, at school or work, or elsewhere when cell phones and other noise-making devices aren't allowed.
- BigClock http://www.bigclock.de/
Very popular free clock, alarm, and timer for Palm devices. Keep multiple alarms, 4 timers/counters, 4 time zones. Alarms can be silent, talelight, backlight, and more. Alarms can go off daily or on selected days or months. Large type to see easily. Very customizable. Freeware by Jens Rupp.
- BugMe! http://www.bugme.net/
is similar to a Post-it type note for Palm devices except even more since it has an alarm feature! You can write a quick reminder right on the PDA screen and set an alarm to remind you of something, or you can type your note, too. I use BugMe! for daily reminders, such as eating lunch, taking medicine, checking the mail, feeding the dog, or remembering the wash in the washing machine.
- DeskAlarm http://www.deskalarm.com
This alarm ties in to the Palm desktop and handheld device and displays a reminder on your computer monitor and also provides a sound alarm.
Top
PDA Alarm Sounds
Below are links to sounds you can add to your PDA for alarms, reminders, and related.
- Alarm Sounds http://cnr-oxy.cnr.pmf.hr/~kdekanic/alarm_sounds.htm
Want some variety to your alarms? You'll find a wide range here, including classical, movie and TV themes, cartoons, science fiction, Christmas. Inexpensive, too. By KD Software.
- Geek Sounds http://www.palmrat.com/software/palmos/
Freeware replacement sounds for the Palm. Plenty of them and they're terrific.
Top
Software Reminder Tools
- DeskAlarm http://www.deskalarm.com
This alarm ties in to the Palm desktop and handheld device and displays a reminder on your computer monitor and also provides a sound alarm.
- Post-it® Software Notes http://www.3m.com/market/office/postit/com_prod/psnotes/
Post-it® comes to the PC. There are three available versions, including a FREE Lite version that you can download directly from 3M's site.
Top
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Resources - http://tbiresources.com/tools/reminders.shtml