The clinical neuropsychologist and director of the Master in Clinical Neuropsychology at UNIR, Raquel Balmaseda, provides insights on the fundamental role that NeuronUP plays towards practical training in clinical neuropsychology.
Neuropsychologists and professionals dedicated to cognitive stimulation and rehabilitation have often encountered the problem of the lack of specific materials to carry out their work.
Not infrequently we have had to adapt exercises and tasks that were not designed to work with neurological patients. We have even had to create new exercises, cutting, gluing and laminating materials to use in neurorehabilitation sessions, wasting time that could be used working with patients. I know that many professionals know very well what I am talking about.
Almost two decades ago, computer-based cognitive stimulation programs began to appear. On the one hand, they facilitated the neuropsychologist’s task, but on the other hand, they were programs without much scope, quite expensive and rigid.
NeuronUP is a platform that represents a before and after in this type of cognitive stimulation and rehabilitation tool.
Why did we choose NeuronUP?
Designed by neuropsychologists for neuropsychologists
Firstly, NeuronUP is designed by professionals for professionals. This is essential because only the professional who does cognitive rehabilitation and stimulation knows what is needed to work with specific patients from this perspective.
Breakdown by age and function
Secondly, because it is a tool that has taken into account the neuropsychologist’s way of working. The platform divides patients into adults and children, since they require different approaches and materials, and, by functions to be worked on, such as attention, memory, language or executive functions. These two filters, age and function, are very useful for the work of the clinical neuropsychologist.
Ever-growing platform
Thirdly, because NeuronUP has never stopped evolving. The platform is in constant growth by including new exercises, including areas not usually covered such as social cognition or ADLs and with increasingly flexible exercises and programs.
What began as a useful tool that provided materials in a fast way and tailored to the treatment we were providing, is today, living in the digital era, an essential tool for many clinical neuropsychologists and widely used by most specialized centers.
Practical remote training in clinical neuropsychology
The Master in Clinical Neuropsychology at UNIR that I have not only the privilege of directing, but also of having developed together with partners and experts to respond to the training needs of the clinical neuropsychologist, has always had practicality as a premise.
Job-ready students via NeuronUP
The idea is that our graduates finish the master’s degree knowing how to carry out neuropsychological assessment and intervention.
“What better way to enter the work force than knowing how to use NeuronUP, an essential cognitive stimulation and rehabilitation tool, so that students who graduate and begin to develop their profession have already had practical experience with the tool that they will undoubtedly use in their daily work”.
Therefore, we made a partnership agreement between NeuronUP and the Master in Clinical Neuropsychology at UNIR. Our teachers can use the tool in their classes and students have full access to NeuronUP throughout this postgraduate course. Students are able to design real neuropsychological intervention sessions and programs, which is undoubtedly a plus for them.
Clinical research
Finally, although neurorehabilitation and patient care is the core of our work, we cannot forget that neuropsychologists can often carry out clinical research to enrich their work with scientific progress.
Research partnership
In this sense, NeuronUP and UNIR are united by the interest in research. Our students often use this tool to carry out their research work at the end of the degree. Moreover, we work together in research projects that contribute to achieve our greatest ambition, to be better every day in order to help our patients in their recovery.
Prevention of cognitive decline in the healthy population
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