Tech Tools for a Healthy Summer Reset
by
PSN Team 
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Healthy Reset
Summertime is almost here! As parents and caregivers, we know that summer means less structured time for our children due to school breaks. This inevitably leads to more responsibilities for us as caregivers, which can also mean more stress. Taking time to care for our physical and mental health is important for the health of our family and summertime is no exception. Movement and mental health apps have changed the way we exercise and meditate. One specific area where technology has influenced body and mind workouts is with guided content. From counselors to yoga teachers, skilled professionals and a good workout are within the reach of a cell phone. Content is typically geared towards the general population with
the assumption that persons using the app are in good health. Although many apps may offer suggestions of modifications, there is much less content directed towards people with special needs.
BridgingApps is pleased to share a list of apps to get you started with caring for your mental and physical health. How about a fun app that the whole family can use to learn about yoga? With modifications built in, it is designed to help a wide variety of users benefit from the practice of yoga. How about using journaling to untangle anxiety and worry? Journal writing is commonly cited as a self-care behavior with many benefits such as reducing anxiety, strengthening memory, tracking progress, and addressing intrusive thoughts. For those who have difficulty writing, the journaling app below allows users to simply tap the microphone and speak their thoughts. Perhaps you can start simple by just tracking your steps as you explore the parks, beaches, or other destinations you might visit this summer.
We also recognize that summer is often a time that parents choose to schedule medical procedures for our kids when there is more unstructured time to prepare and recover. We hope you enjoy reading about the apps we have gathered. One of them might just be the beginning of a new activity that improves the overall health of you and your family.
Yoga Down Dog
By: Yoga Buddhi Co.
Yoga | Down Dog is a standout in the yoga app world with several notable features that are particularly useful and important to persons with disabilities and persons with special medical needs. The level of professionalism, diversity of teachers, and the ability to pause/back-up/ listen to an instruction again makes users feel comfortable practicing yoga anywhere, anytime.
Price: FREE • Offers In-App Purchases
Google Fit: Activity Tracker
By: Google LLC
Google Fit: Activity Tracker is an app designed to help users create a healthier and more active lifestyle by supporting their fitness goals. This app allows tracking of as many or as few habits as wanted. Users can choose to track food intake, body measurements, sleep, vital signs, and of course, daily activities, or only one or two of these items.
Price: FREE • Offers In-App Purchases
GoodVibes Practice Journal
By: Brightwood Apps LLC
Using an app designed for journaling can be helpful especially for people who may struggle physically to hold a pen and paper, who are challenged with language or cognitive impairments, or for those who find initiating a task to be nearly impossible. A simple app called GoodVibes Practice Journal, is a helpful tool that can address some of these common barriers.
Price: FREE
Ritual: Wellbeing
By: Ritual Media
Designed with an audio-based platform, Ritual provides spiritual content and guidance with its wide breadth of topics, its vast array of practice styles, and top quality speakers. Its mantra ‘Find the Path that Works for You’ is exactly what users will appreciate as the Ritual platform and content can fit the individual needs of caregivers and people with both cognitive and physical disabilities.
Price: FREE • Offers In-App Purchases
*Check out BridgingApps App Search Tool to search for apps, create lists and even share them.
BridgingApps, a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston, is a community of parents, therapists, doctors and teachers who share information about using mobile devices with people who have special needs.
Amy Fuchs is the Program Coordinator at BridgingApps and a former special education teacher. Amy Barry is the Content Manager and Editor at BridgingApps and the mother of five children.
Cristen Reat is co-founder of BridgingApps and a mother who found success when using a mobile device with her younger son, who has multiple disabilities. We share a passion for using mobile technology to enhance the lives of people of all ages with disabilities.*
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This post originally appeared on our May/June 2022 Magazine
