SHAREWARE/FREEWARE SOFTWARE FOR COGNITIVE RETRAINING

The internet provides a wealth of opportunities for individuals to obtain computer programs which may be useful in cognitive rehabilitation for little or no cost.  Among the sites I can recommend are:

www.jumbo.com

www.tucows.com

www.5star-shareware.com/

www.supershareware.com/

I have used the programs below as PART of a cognitive retraining program for specific individuals. The programs are recommended as is, with no guarantee of their appropriateness or effectiveness for any particular individual or for the remediation of any specific deficits. I have tried to identify the types of skills required to perform the programs effectively and to suggest ways to use the programs to that end. The results of such use lie solely with the individual.

If you have suggestions as to programs you would like to see included or if you are looking for programs which work on specific deficit areas, drop me a note and I'll try to follow up for you.

Taipei: (Windows) The program randomly stacks tiles with various faces on a board. Remove the tiles in pairs by matching the design on the face. If there are no legal moves left at any point, the program is terminated. If you can't see a legal move, you can get a hint--two faces which match will flash briefly. Play at beginner or expert level. Skills required: visual analysis, sustained attention/concentration, visual tracking. Suggestions: No scoring is provided. You might want to keep track of how many games were played, when they were played, how many hints required per game, number of errors made, number of tiles left, how rapidly game was completed, and number of wins/losses. See if performance improves over time, i.e. fewer hints, faster performance, fewer wrong selections. It may be helpful to briefly indicate mood/fatigue level/environment to see the effect of such variables upon performance.

Sage Concentration: (Windows) A memory type game played against an opponent using a standard deck of cards. Selectable levels of expertise for both player and opponent; playing speed also selectable. Scoring is included. Skills required: visual-spatial memory; ability to manipulate a mouse.