In order to give seniors the care they need, you must consider what the technology can do for them. Here are ways older adults are benefiting from telehealth.

In the last few months, telehealth services have spiked from 11,000 medicare patients a week to 650,000. From those numbers alone, it’s easy to see why the telehealth industry’s set to hit a $266.8 billion value in the next 6 years.

The digital age is thriving as healthcare transitions to virtual services. While it’s been an adjustment for some, there are many benefits to telehealth.

The good news is you don’t need fancy technology to use telehealth services as your phone and computer suffice.

Benefiting from telehealth’s becoming the rule more than the exception. Here’s how telehealth can help you.

Benefiting From Telehealth

Over 3.6 million seniors miss their routine medical appointments for issues with mobility and transportation. While some prefer in-person contact, telehealth for seniors proves to be the safer option.

Here are 7 ways older adults are benefiting from telehealth.

1. Reduce Doctors Visits

One in five elderly people struggles with mobility. No more having to worry about driving yourself or having someone drive you to doctor’s appointments. No more navigating parking lots, ramps, elevators, or stairs.

You can hop on a call for your appointment right from your home, no hassle. You’ll likely have more time in your schedule as a result. Your doctor’s appointments no longer have to consume your whole day.

Not only can telehealth reduce the amount you come in for visits, but it can reduce your need for visits overall.

Having close communications with your doctor keeps everyone safe and healthy.

2. Care Comes to You

Telehealth makes the doctor-patient relationship feel reciprocal. Instead of going to the doctor all the time, virtual services make it so you meet each other halfway.

Better yet, telehealth helps doctors care for seniors from afar, knowing they are safe at home. It’s comfortable for everyone this way.

Telehealth removes the stressors that interfere with the true purpose of the visit—feeling better.

3. Expands Your Options

You’ve likely chosen your doctor, in part, due to proximity. No one wants to travel far to get medical help. Now, with remote telehealth services, you have greater access to doctors.

You’re not limited to people in the vicinity, which can avail more doctors to you at any given moment. If you can’t get in with your closest doctor, consider expanding your reach.

Having remote care allows you some flexibility to get the immediate help you deserve.

4. Simplified Care

Oftentimes, the external stress of getting to the doctor outweighs that of the visit. Beyond mobility and transportation battles, being on time’s its own obstacle.

Important visits heighten the pressure to be on time. Accounting for traffic and the unexpected makes going to the doctor an event. This creates unnecessary amounts of known and unknown stress.

Telehealth eliminates these external variables. Having care from your home keeps patients focused on their health and less on what gets in the way of it.

5. Cleaner Contact

While doctors’ offices have strong hygiene practices, there’s never a guarantee you won’t be waiting alongside sick patients. Telehealth services ensure a contact-free, clean, and healthy way to connect.

As a result, it’s easier to feel more empowered and in control of your health. That, in itself, is healing.

6. Smooth Communication

Advanced technology like telehealth allows for creative, efficient, and expert ways of communicating. Instead of feeling caught in the middle of several doctors’ treatment plans, telehealth gets everyone in one place.

Besides patients and doctors communicating through telehealth, doctors can speak with other doctors to best support you. Soon before long, it can feel as supportive as it did in the office—maybe even better.

7. Less Stress

At the end of the day, stressing less is the ultimate goal. Among your established health concerns, stress only adds to them. The last thing you need is the stress of scheduling, attending, rescheduling, and reattending office visits.

Maintaining your health through the comfort of your home is the goal and telehealth allows that. If you knew telehealth could reduce all the stress related to doctor’s visits, wouldn’t you say yes?

Who Benefits From Telehealth?

You might be wondering if telehealth benefits all conditions. Depending on the condition and its severity, some visits may have to happen in person. There’s a large gap between initial consultations and in-person services, however, where telehealth comes in handy.

If you need the following services, telehealth may be right for you.

  • Endocrinologist
  • Dermatologist
  • Psychiatrist
  • Cardiologist
  • Pediatrician

If you’re not sure if different health issues qualify, feel free to ask your doctor about their different telemedicine services. More than likely they now provide these services.

If you have concerns about telehealth for any reason, your doctors will be more than willing to hear them. The most important thing’s remembering you’re in good hands whether it’s in person or on the phone.

Types of Telehealth Services

The three main telehealth services are synchronous, asynchronous, and remote patient monitoring. Synchronous refers to the familiar phone or computer interaction. Modern-day technology allows doctors to conduct vital signs digitally if need be.

Asynchronous communications involve data collection and patient portals. This method’s best for non-urgent matters. It lets your healthcare team pass along information you’ve discussed in your visits.

Remote patient monitoring involves transferring the patient’s measurements to the healthcare provider. No matter which way you engage with your healthcare team, there are many options to ensure you’re supported.

The Future of Telehealth

Talking to patients through telehealth’s never been easier. While many people consider telehealth a result of recent circumstances, it’s likely here to stay.

Benefiting from telehealth’s easy once you see it upholds the same healthcare principles as in-person visits. The priorities remain the health and safety of the patients.

Through this heightened concern for everyone’s health and safety, telehealth services are an intuitive way to pivot. Knowing telehealth can increase safety on all levels—mental, emotional, physical, and behavioral—it’s an easy choice to make.

Create a free new patient account today to see how telehealth can make your world easier and safer as a result. You might even wonder why you haven’t done it before!