What is Telehealth

Telehealth, or telecare, is the broad range of technologies and services used to provide both clinical and non-clinical services when patients and providers are in different locations. This umbrella term for remote care includes:

• Interactive Patient Care: An approach that uses digital tools and platforms to provide real-time education and communication between providers, patients, and their loved ones.
• Patient Portal: A safe way to contact your provider or nurse, review visits and test results, ask for prescription refills, and schedule appointments.
• Remote Patient Monitoring: Transmission and monitoring of vital signs through Bluetooth biometrics, such as wearables and mobile devices.
• Store and Forward: Electronic capture and transmission of patient medical data to another site for evaluation.
• Tele Education: Electronic information and technology that delivers continuing education programs for healthcare professionals.
• Telemedicine: Strictly clinical services focused on diagnosis, follow-ups, recommendations, and treatments.

The Benefits of Telehealth

Those who use telehealth services enjoy a variety of benefits:

• Convenient access to specialists for patients in rural areas, palliative care, or with limited mobility or transportation
• Improved communication between providers and patients with additional opportunities to call or message
• Improved patient engagement and satisfaction with their healthcare
• Reduced readmission and ER visits through high-risk monitoring and customized risk alerts
• Reduced risk of spreading or contracting illnesses

The Impact of Telehealth on Senior Living

Tech-savvy seniors are experiencing additional unique benefits of telehealth as they move into senior living communities:

• Continuous care, no matter what level of living they reside on
• Improved management of medication and chronic conditions
• Loved ones feel more involved in their health updates, even if they’re practicing long-distance caregiving
• More comfort and confidence advocating for their needs and preferences as they gain asynchronous and real-time access to information
• New technology at home or provided by the community that helps to monitor their health

How to Start Using Telehealth Services

Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when starting your journey with telehealth:

• Check if your insurance providers, like Medicare and Medicaid, cover the telehealth services you need.
• Choose the place and technology you will use to have your telehealth appointments. You want to make sure you have a good connection in a setting that won’t distract others or allow them to overhear your personal information.
• Follow digital health practices that will keep your appointments and information secure.

Looking for some helpful caregiving tips? Check out our resources for caregivers here!

“The staff updates me about my mom and how I would like to do things, like medication changes. That communication is really helpful. I feel calmer and more confident she’s being taken care of even though I live far away.”

– Keely, daughter of Wesley Woods resident

At Life Enriching Communities (LEC), we’re committed to ensuring patrons feel well-equipped to plan their future and age how they wish. Explore more resources on senior living or contact us today to learn more about our legacy of services and programs that bring meaning and purpose to every stage of life.