Feasibility and Acceptability of a Virtual Home Assessment for Supporting People with Dementia to Live at Home.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the satisfaction with, and feasibility and acceptability of, a virtual home safety assessment implemented for people living with dementia and their caregivers by a trained Occupational Therapist (OT). Seventeen assessments were conducted. Nine caregivers and one patient completed a satisfaction survey. Ten caregivers and the OT assessor completed semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Survey respondents reported high levels of satisfaction with the virtual assessment; the majority (90%) reported being comfortable with the virtual modality. Caregivers perceived that their assistance was required to conduct the assessment virtually, and care recipients responded well to technology. In comparison to in-person visits, the virtual assessment was considered easier for people living with dementia, easier to access, and equivalent to an in-person visit. Virtual home assessments are easy to implement, feasible, acceptable, and an effective way to identify and manage safety risks. Given the health system pressures that have led to long wait times for in-home safety assessments, virtual administration can build capacity for home safety assessments, allowing more patients to be assessed sooner, particularly in rural and underserviced areas where travel distances impede timely access to assessment.