Recently I wrote about the strong possibility that the tremendous growth seen in telehealth during the coronavirus pandemic will endure afterwards, after research showed that adoption had been strong across the board.  Similar research suggests, however, that the elderly were left under-served by this new method of consultation.

The paper highlights how around a third of adults over 65 years of age have found themselves cut off from care due to technological difficulties accessing telemedicine platforms.

“Telemedicine is not inherently accessible, and mandating its use leaves many older adults without access to their medical care,” the researchers say. “We need further innovation in devices, services and policy to make sure older adults are not left behind during this migration.”

Cut off from care

A recent survey from the University of Michigan concurs that telehealth was widespread across the population, but suggests things are not quite so dire for the elderly.  The survey reveals that around 25% of older Americans had some kind of virtual medical consultations during the first few months of the pandemic, which is significantly higher than the 4% who said they had had such a consultation in 2019.

This greater usage coincides with greater familiarity with telehealth as a technology.  In last year’s survey, the majority of older adults expressed concern with telehealth, but this had reduced significantly this year, with the fall particularly strong among those who had actually tried the technology out.

Despite this apparent acceptance, however, not all were so enthusiastic, with 17% of respondents saying they’d never used any sort of telehealth, and indeed any form of video conferencing in general.  It is a figure that is reducing year on year, but still highlights the technological challenges many face.

“These findings have implications for the health providers who have ramped up telehealth offerings rapidly, and for the insurance companies and government agencies that have quickly changed their policies to cover virtual visits,” the researchers say. “Tracking change over time could inform future efforts, and highlights the need for much more research on concerns, barriers and optimal use of telehealth by older adults.”

A Covid boost

The polls highlight how Covid-19 resulted in a stark increase in the number of older adults who had engaged with telehealth during 2020.  The researchers believe the figures for March to June are largely a result of states mandating reductions in elective and non-emergency health care during the pandemic.

For instance, many of those who said they had used telehealth said they had done so because an in-person visit had been either canceled or rescheduled, with many reporting that a virtual appointment was the only option available to them.  A large number of respondents also said that the risks posed by the pandemic also increased the viability of telehealth for them.  Of those that did have a telehealth consultation, nearly all found it easy to connect to their doctor, although relatively few would be happy to start a relationship with their doctor via telehealth.

In June, AARP Research released a report about older adults’ awareness of and attitudes toward telehealth. AARP has also published resources to help older adults and their caregivers use telehealth services.

“It’s clear from this study and AARP’s research that older adults are increasingly comfortable with telehealth and are willing to use technology to interact with their health providers,” the researchers say. “As the coronavirus pandemic continues, telehealth has been a useful tool for older adults to access health care from the safety of their own homes, but we must be mindful that not everyone can access these services.”