Rehabilitation at home via video link – Remote rehabilitation of older people works anywhere
Remote rehabilitation of older people is a new service type that has already been introduced in some municipalities in Western Uusimaa.
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted municipalities to consider how services could be provided in a health-safe manner. Many services were transferred online and soon found to be so effective that they will likely be continued. Remote rehabilitation started even before the COVID-19 epidemic, but the aim was to increase the service to support customer rehabilitation.
In remote rehabilitation, the customer receives rehabilitation guided by a therapist at home in real time. The image link between the customer and a therapist occurs via video connection. Similarly to in-person rehabilitation, the healthcare professional prepares a rehabilitation plan together with the customer by setting out a schedule and objectives.
Project Manager Viia-Stina Vuorenmaa, who is in charge of rehabilitation to support the elderly in living at home, has worked as a physiotherapist in home rehabilitation in Espoo. She has worked with remote rehabilitating customers who have been discharged from hospital care with e.g. a fracture of the upper or lower limbs or a decrease in their general condition. Some of these patients have received hybrid model rehabilitation that includes both physical home visits and remote rehabilitation.
“Hybrid model rehabilitation has worked well and customers have enjoyed it. We have been able to perform various upper limb exercises after a shoulder fracture or balance exercises in which the rollator walker is used as support for the customer, for example,” Vuorenmaa says.
Remote rehabilitation is suitable for nearly everyone. Only visual or hearing impairment or significant memory loss can prevent remote rehabilitation.
Low-threshold service
Remote rehabilitation is independent of location, removing the obstacle of distance. All you need is a tablet computer or other suitable device and a functional network connection.
In home rehabilitation in Espoo, for example, the remote rehabilitation service has been made as easy as possible for the customer. The customer will receive a tablet computer and a stand from home rehabilitation. A healthcare professional will then visit the customer at home and install the device. They will make sure that the distance, audibility and visibility work properly and make a test call. There are two ways to connect: The customer can open the video connection by pressing just one button on their device or the therapist can open the connection on behalf of the client at the time reserved for remote rehabilitation.
Many elderly people can be apprehensive and nervous about using the device. Viia-Stina Vuorenmaa encourages everyone to try it out.
“A professional is always there to support the customer in introducing the device needed for remote rehabilitation. We can look at and test the functionality of the device together. Indeed, many customers have ultimately been surprised by how easy the device is to use and felt that it is actually fun.”
In Hanko, remote rehabilitation can be provided via Teams software. Thus far, remote rehabilitation has been carried out in group form in Hanko, and the City has lent participants a tablet computer. A group of volunteers has served as digital help for the patients. In addition, remote rehabilitation customers have been provided with rehabilitation equipment and a folder containing information on remote rehabilitation and instructions for exercises for loan at home.
Positive experiences
Aino Vehmas, 89, from Espoo, has been using the remote rehabilitation service since March. First, the physiotherapist visited her at home for rehabilitation, then Aino moved on to remote rehabilitation. She has remote rehabilitation once a week for half an hour.
“The rehabilitation has worked well, and the instruction has been good. It is fun when the familiar face of my physiotherapist appears on the tablet computer screen. We do the same movements together,” Aino Vehmas says.
In particular, Aino Vehmas has liked the fact that she does not have to leave the house for remote rehabilitation.
“It's nice to be able to exercise at home. The rehabilitation has been efficient and I have been able to mobilise myself every day with it. I climb the stairs up and down at home and do the same movements as I do with my physiotherapist.”
“I have been satisfied with remote rehabilitation and it has had a clear effect on improving my condition.”
Remote rehabilitation supplements the services
If necessary, physiotherapy can be carried out completely remotely, if it is found to be an appropriate method of implementation together with the customer.
“Physiotherapist visits to the home will not, however, be excluded if the need for the visits is identified,” says Project Manager Sini Foxell, who is in charge of rehabilitation to support the elderly in living at home.
Remote rehabilitation is, however, an agile and efficient service.
“It enables us to provide rehabilitation sessions more often, for example, and this can be done regardless of distance. Customers may also talk about their current mood during the rehabilitation session,” Foxell says.
“Customer feedback has been very positive. At first, the customer may have been apprehensive about remote rehabilitation, but when the rehabilitation period ends, many people would not like to stop.”
Loved ones of the elderly have also provided positive feedback.
“One family member told me that they were not sure if their parents would be able to use IT equipment. They were surprised when everything went fine. This goes to show that it is worthwhile experimenting with remote rehabilitation without prejudice,” Foxell encourages.
The objective is to harmonise the practices of the remote rehabilitation service in order to make it available throughout the Western Uusimaa wellbeing services county by 2023, at the latest.