What to Know About Telehealth for Alzheimer's Disease

Verywell Health reports that telehealth can help manage different aspects of Alzheimer's disease care, and its use generally involves the person who has the disorder, their caregiver, and their healthcare professional. For example, memory clinics may offer cognitive rehabilitation via telehealth, and although this therapy cannot reverse the disease, it can help manage the effects and reduce symptoms like agitation and depression. Meanwhile, disease surveillance allows monitoring of certain aspects of Alzheimer's progression with digital tools that measure signs of movement, activity, and cognition. In addition, cognitive functions and mood can be assessed with methods such as medical examination and standardized questionnaires. This includes the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which healthcare providers can often conduct via telehealth. Moreover, providers may be able to determine whether a patient can be treated without an in-person visit or might recommend in-person follow-up testing, physical examination, or treatment after assessing the situation through a preliminary telehealth visit. Telehealth also can be a tool for providing caregiver support, in the form of guidance, instruction, and advice from experienced professionals.