Abstract Details

Title How did the Early COVID 19 Pandemic Lockdown Affect Care of Memory Disorder Patients?: Caregiver views

Topic Aging, Dementia, and Behavioral Neurology

Presentation(s) P1 - Poster Session 1 (9:00 AM-5:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 001

Objective To evaluate caregiver views of care changes in memory disorder patients during early COVID 19 pandemic lockdown

Background Memory disorder patients often depend on caregivers for oversight of medical and daily care. The early lockdowns of the COVID 19 pandemic included restrictions which may have affected such care.

Design/Methods

We developed a questionnaire to assess caregiver views on change in care of memory disorder patients during the early lockdowns of the COVID 19 pandemic. The questionnaire assessed caregiver views on 1: changes in daily care quality in patients living at home vs. a community care setting (skilled nursing, assisted living); 2: changes in communication with physician offices; and 3: telehealth experiences. Patients had an established diagnosis, a virtual telehealth visit 4/06/2020 - 9/06/2020, and a caregiver able to survey by phone.

Results 89 patients met criteria, 69 living at home, 20 in community settings. 1. Regarding perceived quality of daily care, for patients living at home, 81% of caregivers saw no change, 12% worsening and 6% improvement. For patients living at community facilities, 50% of caregivers saw worsening, 5% improvement and 45% no change. 2. Regarding physician office communication, 67% of caregivers saw no change, 16% worsening, and 17% improvement. 3. Across all patients, 46% had a video telehealth physician visit. Of these, caregivers of 80% were satisfied with the encounter, 17% neutral, and 2% dissatisfied. 53% of caregivers were likely to choose future telehealth physician visits for the patient, 21% were neutral, and 17% unlikely.

Conclusions

For memory disorder patients in the early pandemic lockdowns, for those living at community facilities, most caregivers perceived worse quality of daily care, but the average caregiver saw no change in physician office communication. Most caregivers were satisfied with, and would choose, video telehealth physician visits for follow up.

Authors/Disclosures
PRESENTER	No disclosure on file
Nakul Katyal, MD (University of Kentucky)	Dr. Katyal has nothing to disclose.
Joel I. Shenker, MD, PhD, FAAN (University of Missouri)	Dr. Shenker has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of R3 continuum. Dr. Shenker has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as an Expert Witness for attorneys.

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