Testing and Treating Left Neglect Just Got Easier

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Dec. 15, 2014 - PRLog -- The best-selling Visual Attention Therapy app gets two brand new features in the latest update to help stroke survivors with left neglect get a more personalized therapy experience.

Developed by Tactus Therapy Solutions, this professional cognitive training app improves upon traditional cancellation exercises, the evidence-based standard for diagnosing and treating neglect.

“The most sensitive measure for assessing neglect is the cancellation test,” says Megan S. Sutton, MS, CCC-SLP (C), Tactus Therapy Solutions co-founder, app designer, and certified speech-language pathologist. “Visual Attention Therapy gives professionals quick access to cancellation tests, including detailed results of the assessment. It also offers options to create thousands of cancellation tasks with letters and symbols for practice.”

Capitalizing on the functionality within the iPad, Visual Attention Therapy offers these unique advancements over paper-and-pencil cancellation exercises:

• In practice mode, targets must be tapped from left to right, top to bottom, to support the eye-scanning pattern needed for reading

• In test mode, clinicians can easily see if a visual attention deficit exists with a report that calculates neglected quadrants automatically

• Sidebar signal can flash in a variety of colors to draw attention to the left or right side

• Choose from combinations of letters and symbols and use either one or two targets

• Auditory and visual cues give the user instant feedback on performance

• Automated scoring includes data for accuracy, time for completion, and number of mistakes broken down by level


Today’s app improvements address feature requests and feedback from customers:

• Choose from five treatments for showing cancelled targets:

       o   Cross Out: Looks familiar, just like the paper version

       o   Red: Bright color makes cancelled targets more distinct

       o   Negative: Extra reinforcement for people with low vision

       o   Blank: Erases the cancelled targets from the screen

       o   Fade: Targets fade to gray – the only option in previous versions

• Match the signal color in the app to the tape or line color used around the rehab unit or personal spaces for greater consistency.


It is estimated that left neglect, a neurological condition, occurs in approximately 25% of people who suffer a right-hemisphere stroke. People with left neglect are unaware of everything that appears on the left side of space – despite normal vision, their brains simply don't pay attention to it. While right-sided neglect can also occur, left neglect is far more common.

Early and accurate diagnosis of the disorder, along with prompt and evidence-based treatment, can lead to better outcomes for stroke survivors and their families. Neuropsychologists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and neuro-ophthalmologists are some of the highly trained professionals who can help.

Visual Attention Therapy is available for purchase for the iPad on the App Store for US$9.99. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/visual-attention-therapy-cognitive/id539203206?mt=8  To sample the app’s functionality, try Visual Attention Therapy Lite, a free download that includes one level and one field size but all the functionality. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/visual-attention-therapy-lite/id554546572?mt=8

For more information visit http://tactustherapy.com/app/vat/ or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter @TactusTherapy.
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About Tactus Therapy: Tactus Therapy Solutions Ltd. aims to provide a better stroke recovery journey for clinicians and clients. The company offers a wide range of speech, language, and cognitive rehab applications, designed by a certified speech-language pathologist.

Since 2011, Tactus Therapy has been a leader in adult rehabilitation technology by creating apps to help professionals ease their workload with quality materials and data reporting tools, while providing more opportunities for clients to intensify their practice outside the clinic. For more information, visit www.tactustherapy.com.