Dementia Virtual Care

SUMMARY:

The use of virtual care in behavioral health remains the leading use case since the pandemic.
Digital tools can improve the life for patients with Alzheimer’s dementia.
Potential barriers of technologies to provide a positive impact on patient care need to be addressed.

People living with Alzheimer’s Disease are greater than 6 million (U.S.) and 55 million worldwide.
The number of cases continues to grow by 10 million per year globally

Alzheimer associated dementia is the 7th leading cause of death and is associated with increased co-morbidities, increased healthcare use and poorer outcomes.
Care for dementia patients typically falls on “informal caregivers” without formal training
- Family member
- Friends
- Neighbors
Due to the wide variability in caregivers, their needs vary based on a variety of factors including the patients underlying illness stage of disease.
Needs of Caregivers:

Virtual care solutions have increased the provision of support to caregivers.No clear definition

35 applications have been evaluation of meeting caregiver needs
Current applications provide education but poorly meet caregiver specific needs.
Most applications only address 1 need and only meet educational needs.

Barriers Affecting Use of Virtual Care Interventions

Numerous factors impact the acceptability of virtual care devices in Alzheimer’s Disease
The 3 most influential ones are:
- Personal Perceptions:
  - Physical factors
  - Electronic literacy
  - Social factors
  - Personal attitudes
- Relative Advantages of Virtual Care
  - Enhancing individual health
  - Improving use
  - Economic impact
  - Privacy
- Social Factors
  - Social support
  - Social regulations
  - Equipment
  - Cultural factors
Barriers & Potential Strategies

Telehealth use for behavioral health remains high.
The use of behavioral telehealth care may increase access, continuity of care, patient privacy, and convenience while reducing barriers to care, including fears of stigma.
There have been divergent findings on the effectiveness, acceptability and costs of telehealth use in behavioral health.
To be most effective, telehealth solutions must be used regularly and effectively.

Erkan HassanMarch 12, 2025