Experience and results with a telehealth treatment program in patients with cognitive disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic

DORMAN, GUIDO; FAILLA, BELÉN; ROCA, MARÍA; FIORINI, ADRIANA; PONTELLO, NOELIA; ALVAREZ DENGRA, AGUSTÍN; VALLEJOS, FLORENCIA; BUSTIN, JULIÁN

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY.

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Año: 2020

0885-6230

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the adoption of social quarantinemeasures in numerous countries.1 In this context, both COVID-19and quarantine can have a substantial impact in the mental health ofaffected populations.2 Health care services have had to adapt them-selves to this new reality.Age is the main risk factor for the development of mild cognitiveimpairment (MCI) and dementia. Older adults are especially vulnerableto severe symptoms of COVID-19 disease, which underlines theimportance of optimizing telehealth options for this population. Cur-rently, the evidence in favor of the use of telehealth for people withcognitive impairment (CI) is encouraging but scarce.3,4 Moreover, theimpact of social distancing and quarantine measures on activities ofdaily living (ADLs) and behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPS)of individuals with cognitive disorders is uncertain, but they areexpected to be a particularly vulnerable population. Therefore, thereis a need for developing effective strategies to reduce the risk of ADLdecline and the onset or worsening of BPS in this population.5The aim of this letter is to present our experience and results witha telehealth treatment program (TTP) in patients with CI during theCOVID-19 pandemic.