Suleima Salgado’s 86-year-old Aunt Rosa lives 1,500 miles away in Puerto Rico. On days that she has a doctor’s appointment, Aunt Rosa gets up at 7 a.m., showers, packs a lunch with multiple snacks, then heads to her doctor’s office, where she may wait up to 6 hours to be seen.
“If I could get a telehealth appointment for her and know that she could at least stay at home all day, doing what she likes to do, and that at some point in time someone would connect her with the doctor, it would be so much easier,” says Salgado, an Atlanta-based program director for the Southeastern Telehealth Resource Center.
Older Adults and Health Technology
If you think older adults and health technology don’t mix, think again.
“A lot of older adults are actually rapidly adapting,” Salgado says. “Without even realizing that this is telehealth, they are using smartphones, apps, and wearable devices to help them maintain their health.”
Research backs Salgado up. A small survey in JMIR Aging found that many older adults are already using fitness trackers and other devices to manage their well-being. A larger survey of 208 older adults, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found that those who used telehealth for primary care appointments during the pandemic were satisfied with their experience. They also wanted the option to be available after the pandemic.
Salgado says patients often tell her they felt their doctor was more present and attentive during the video conference than at an in-person appointment. This could be because doctors are in their offices for video appointments, says Salgado, rather than walking in and out of exam rooms in a crowded clinic.
Kevin Biese, MD, director of the Division of Geriatric Emergency Medicine at the University of North Carolina’s School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, says telemedicine and other health technology “are all enabled by technology that, frankly, isn’t all that innovative.”
“My mom already talks to her grandchildren on FaceTime all the time,” he says. “It’s not really the technology that’s cutting edge. It’s how we can incorporate it to make it helpful [to the health] of older adults.”
The Benefits of Telehealth Appointments for Older Adults
Even for the youngest and healthiest adults, an annual checkup can take half a day once you factor in travel and wait times. Older adults typically see the doctor far more than once a year. And getting to the clinic can take a lot longer and require the help of others.
“One of the most important ways that telehealth can help older adults is just by not allowing their health care to consume so much of their life,” says Biese, who’s also a board member at West Health, a nonprofit focused on improving care for older adults.
Telehealth can save older adults even more time when they live in a rural area and need specialty care.
“If your primary care doctor needs you to see a hematologist or an endocrinologist or any of these ‘ologists,’ you're likely going to be driving hours and all for the purpose of a conversation and information transfer.”
Telehealth can also:
- Limit older adults’ exposure to illness and germs in waiting rooms.
- Help older adults be seen sooner than an in-person visit would allow.
- Make it easier for family members in other cities and states to attend appointments.
“My grandparents live in Puerto Rico, and the rest of us live in Atlanta and Florida,” Salgado says. “That we can still participate with them is huge. It gives us a comprehensive understanding of what’s happening, and we’re able to follow up with them later on our own time.”
Tips to Prepare for Your First Telehealth Appointment
If you or the older adult you care for has never had a telehealth appointment, here are a few tips to prepare:
Make sure you have the instructions for how to log on for the appointment. Do this well in advance. Call or message the doctor’s office to ask, if you’re not sure.
Do a test run on your own. If you’re not confident about testing the platform alone, invite someone over to help you out. Some doctor’s offices will do a test call a few days before. Make sure you’ve downloaded any necessary software or app. Test your device’s microphone and camera, too.
Prepare for the appointment the way you would for an in-person visit. Write down any questions for your doctor and have a complete list of your medications and symptoms ready. Consider having a loved one with you, just as you might for an in-person appointment.
Find a quiet place in your home. Don’t attempt to join the appointment while driving or in a public space.
Other Health Benefits of Video Conferencing
It’s not just for doctor’s appointments. Older adults who find it hard to get out of the house for whatever reason can do virtual versions of almost any activity, from exercise and book clubs to sewing or cooking classes.
“Loneliness and isolation absolutely contribute substantially to physical and cognitive decline, so let’s use the technology we have to be in touch with other people,” Biese says.
An internet search for “online classes for older adults” is a good place to start. AARP and local agencies on aging can help, too.
But you don’t have to sign up for online activities to reap benefits. Use video conferencing platforms to spend more time with family and friends or check on older loved ones without making daily visits to their home. If you’re a caregiver, moving some of their social time online may lessen the likelihood of burnout, Salgado says.
Smartwatches, Apps, and Other Health Tech
It’s not just video conferencing that can help older adults improve or maintain their health. A number of health monitoring devices can send readings to an older adult’s or caregiver’s phone and the health care provider.
“Many patients that have diabetes are able to manage their diabetes in the comfort of their home with virtual nurses and physicians helping them and tracking them along the way,” Salgado says. “This is especially helpful in rural communities.”
Of course, smartwatches and phones can track daily steps and other physical activity to help older adults meet fitness goals. Some apps track calories and how much salt and carbohydrates you eat and drink.
Seeing the number of steps they’ve taken in real time, along with blood sugar and blood pressure readings, can make older adults feel more engaged in their health care and more empowered to take control of their condition, says Salgado. They also keep them mentally engaged.
Getting Started with Telehealth Technology
If you’d like to add more digital elements to your health care, you might have to speak up and ask for it.
Here are some questions to ask your doctor:
- Can any of my follow-up appointments be done by video instead of in person?
- Are there devices I can use at home to monitor my health and cut down on some of my follow-up visits?
- Are there apps or devices you would recommend to help me meet my health goals?
- Are there apps you would recommend that would help me manage my daily medications?
Tech Enhances a Doctor’s Care, It Doesn’t Replace It
No matter how advanced technology becomes, there will always be a need to see your doctor in person at a health care facility.
“It’s still extremely important to establish and have your medical home,” Salgado says. “We’re not taking away from that with telehealth. But this is a great tool to leverage for follow-up care and routine monitoring to make it more convenient, more accessible, provide more comprehensive care, and lead to better outcomes.”
Show Sources
Photo Credit: E+/Getty Images
SOURCES:
Suleima Salgado, program director, Southeastern Telehealth Resource Center, Atlanta.
Kevin Biese, MD, director, Division of Geriatric Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC.
JMIR Aging: “Understanding Older Adults’ Experiences With Technologies for Health Self-management: Interview Study.”
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: “Older adults' perspectives on primary care telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
