Tuijt, R, Rait, G, Frost, R, Wilcock, J, Manthorpe, J and Walters, K (2021) Remote primary care consultations for people living with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences of people living with dementia and their carers. British Journal of General Practice, 71 (709). E574-E582. ISSN 0960-1643

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Abstract

Background COVID-19 has accelerated remote healthcare provision in primary care, with changes potentially permanent. The implementation of remote provision of health care needs to be informed by vulnerable populations, such as people living with dementia. Aim To understand the remote healthcare experiences of patients living with dementia and their family carers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design and setting Qualitative interviews with community-based patients living with dementia and their carers were carried out between May-August 2020, while the COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing in England. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted remotely by telephone or video call with 30 patients living with dementia and 31 carers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Three main themes were derived relating to: proactive care at the onset of COVID-19 restrictions; avoidance of healthcare settings and services; and difficulties with remote healthcare encounters. People living with dementia and their carers felt check-up calls were reassuring but limited in scope and content. Some avoided healthcare services, wishing to minimise COVID-19 risk or reduce NHS burden, or encountering technological barriers. Difficulties in remote consultations included lack of prompts to remember problems, dealing with new emerging difficulties, rescheduling/missed calls, and inclusion of the voice of the person with dementia. Conclusion While remote consultations could be effective, proactive calls could be more structured around needs. Consideration should be given to replace non-verbal prompts to describe problems, particularly for new health concerns. In continuing remote consultations, it is important to facilitate engagement with patients living with dementia and their carers to ensure good practice.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Humans; Dementia; Remote Consultation; Caregivers; Primary Health Care; England; Pandemics; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; caregivers; dementia; primary health care; qualitative research; remote consultation; telemedicine; COVID-19; Caregivers; Dementia; England; Humans; Pandemics; Primary Health Care; Remote Consultation; SARS-CoV-2; 1117 Public Health and Health Services; Public Health
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Divisions:	Nursing & Allied Health
Publisher:	Royal College of General Practitioners
SWORD Depositor:	A Symplectic
Date Deposited:	05 Dec 2023 14:31
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2023 14:31
DOI or ID number:	10.3399/BJGP.2020.1094
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/22032

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