A closer look at dementia patients’ barriers to telemedicine utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, dementia patients faced reduced mental health support, more social isolation, and higher rates of depression. To assist, telemedicine emerged as a suitable alternative to physical physician consultations. However, the use of telemedicine for dementia care was impacted by numerous factors, including high costs, lack of suitable hardware, poor internet connectivity, and sensory impairment of the patient. This article is an attempt to analyze the use of telemedicine for dementia care during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify barriers to its usage from caregivers’ perspectives. The analysis focused on four identified categories of barriers related to technology, participant abilities, participant attitudes, and costs. The findings demonstrated that lack of suitable technology and digital literacy were major barriers to the adoption of telemedicine in dementia care.