Rural Caregivers Bridge the Gap between Older Patients and In-Home Occupational Therapy Video Telehealth: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND

In-home video telehealth expanded access to services for older rural Veteran patients, yet many require caregiver assistance. Understanding caregivers' experiences is essential to optimizing these encounters.

OBJECTIVE

To explore caregiver perspectives on facilitating in-home occupational therapy video telehealth for older rural Veterans within the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with rural caregivers (N = 19) from four VHA sites who had assisted an older Veteran patient with in-home video. Interviews focused on caregivers' participation before and during sessions, and perceived benefits and drawbacks of video. We employed directed content analysis utilizing a rapid analytic approach, given the time-pressured nature of our project.

RESULTS

Caregivers were predominantly White and female, with an average age of 60; most lived with patients. Five themes emerged: (1) Caregiver Level of Involvement in In-Home Video Telehealth Visits; (2) Experience of Technological Aspects of In-Home Video; (3) Experience of Clinical Aspects of In-Home Video; (4) Beliefs about the Usefulness and Scope of In-Home Video; (5) Recommendations for In-Home Video.

CONCLUSIONS

In-home video telehealth expands access to rural older patients, relying heavily on caregivers. It works for routine care but has limits and connectivity barriers, requiring improved procedures and infrastructure.