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According to a poll conducted by the University of Michigan on healthy aging, people are becoming more confident in telemedicine. In the past year, older adults revealed at least one primary concern about using telemedicine. A year later, in mid-2020, the situation is different, with many people being free to try out telehealth visits.

This is especially among those that did virtual visits between March and June this year. Ironically, even in the current coronavirus pandemic, not all older adults see telehealthcare as a sufficient substitute for in-person care. According to the poll, 17% of those aged above 50 years say they have never tried any video conference tool, including telehealthcare.

As much as the figure is 11% higher than that recorded in 2019, lack of access or experience could hinder receiving medical care without leaving homes. This happens amidst the rising number of coronavirus cases in the US. According to Lorraine Buis, a health information researcher at the University of Michigan, the poll results implicates health providers that have been drumming up support for telehealth offerings.

She further said that tracking the course of change over time could be critical in determining future efforts and underscores the need for extensive research on barriers, concerns, and the use of telemedicine by the elderly.

Telehealth Acceptance Among the Elderly

The poll results showed that by June 2020, 30% of the older people above 50 years have participated in a telemedicine visit. This has been looked at as a reflection of changes made in the insurance coverage a few months before the pandemic. The figures from March to June indicate that many individuals tried out telehealthcare due to states mandating reductions in non-emergency and elective health care.

The subsequent coronavirus related restrictions also played a role in the significant increase in telehealth visits. The stay-at-home orders, in particular, led to many people trying out telemedicine care.

The COVID-19 virus has altered the way our country provides medical care. With in-office visits strictly limited, virtual tours have taken center stage.

When looking at telemedicine, this can include both phone and video calls. The main advantage of these is that both doctor and patient are safe within their spaces, making the risk of contracting COVID-19 nonexistent.

Although there are numerous advantages to telemedicine, there is a steep learning curve with many older Americans. Top doctors at John Hopkins University offer some advice in their recent writings in Annals of Internal Medicine

One of the main concerns is, according to the U.S National Institutes of Health, nearly half of American’s over the age of 75, some type of difficulty with hearing.

One way to curb this is for patients to use headsets as this will drown out background noise and allow the patient to hear better. Those with difficulty hearing may not notice this issue until they are forced into a situation that relies on their discussion.

For patients with hearing problems, video calls would allow the patient to pick up on visual cues and will additionally enable the doctor to examine the patient better to see what’s ailing them.

The unfortunate reality is that seniors may not have access to the internet, which will be a concern mostly with lower-income seniors. Physicians need to be conscious of this and ensure they ask their patients what type of care they prefer.

Many older American’s see a phone call as being a courtesy, so there will also need to be some adjustments and expectations set by the doctor that the phone or video call will still result in the patient receiving a bill.

Although telemedicine visits have begun to slow down due to doctor’s offices reopening in the past few months, telemedicine can still be beneficial to many seniors depending on their unique situations.