A smartphone being held in somebody's hand
A smartphone being held in somebody's hand 61% of Brits have a smartphone, and 91% of us always have our phone within arm's reach, so it's no surprise really that some of the most innovative and useful tech inventions in recent years have been smartphone and tablet apps. This has certainly been reflected in the surge in the number of apps available for disabled people to help to track, manage and take control of many different areas of our lives. So, in this post, we're going to look at some popular apps that you will definitely want to know about!

Apps to remind you to take your meds

tablets-106811_1280 public domainIf you take a range of medication, or if you have problems with your memory, it can be really difficult to be sure you've taken your pills every day. If you need to take different meds at specific times of day, it can get even more confusing. Thankfully, there are a range of smartphone apps that can help by alerting you when it is time to take your medication and you can relax, knowing that you won't forget to take those all-important medicines.
  • Pillboxie is an iPhone and iPad app that makes it easy to manage your medication schedule (cost: $0.99).
  • MediSafe Meds & Pill Reminder is a similar app available for Android devices (free).

Track and monitor your pain levels with Catch My Pain

Screenshot_2014-09-16-09-53-59Catch My Pain is an app that allows users to make a note of their pain levels and keep track of which parts of the body hurt, and how intense the pain is. By marking up a human body with a colour that corresponds to the degree of pain and noting what the pain feels like, users can create an ongoing record that helps you to monitor whether things are improving or getting worse, and this can be shared with doctors if appropriate. Catch My Pain is available for free for Android and iOS devices.

Hearing aid apps for smartphones

Hearing aid apps, combined with earphones or bluetooth headsets, allow people to use their phone to amplify the sounds around them.

Use Mood Panda to track your moods

Mood Panda is an interactive mood diary where users can make a note of their mood and keep track of any patterns that occur. The app produces graphs and calendars to give you an immediate glimpse into the state of your moods over time, and you can keep your records secret or share them on social media. Mood Panda is a free app available for Android and iOS devices.

MobileSign: a British sign language app

MobileSign contains over 4,000 searchable signs that can be used to help people to learn BSL or to communicate with Deaf friends and colleagues. It is a free app available for Android and Apple devices. The same developers have also created Deafworkmate, which is an introduction "to Deaf Culture, British Sign Language (BSL) and other forms of non-verbal communication. If you work alongside deaf people, employ deaf people or have deaf customers then Deafworkmate is an ideal learning resource for you".

Diabetes UK tracker app

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The Diabetes UK charity's tracker app "is designed to be quick and simple to use, taking the daily chore out of logging levels such as blood glucose, carbohydrates and calories". The information you provide over time is then translated into charts and graphs so you can keep an eye on your blood glucose, insulin, carbohydrate, calorie, weight and ketone measurements. The Diabetes UK Tracker App is a free app for people with iOS and Android devices. If you've got a smartphone, it is well worth looking out for apps that are relevant to your condition or your lifestyle. We need to embrace things that make life easier so that we can expend our energy on things that are more productive and fun! Do you use any smartphone apps? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook!
AndroidApplicationsAppsBritish sign languageDeafDiabetesDisabilityDisabledIosIpadIphoneMood monitoringMood trackerPainPain chartPain managementSmartphoneTablet
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