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Challenges in Geriatric Dermatology
Abstract
The provision of dermatologic care to elderly people has been complicated by the COVID-19 epidemic. With physical barriers in place, virtual care has emerged as a vital resource in the provision of healthcare to senior citizens. However, elderly patients encounter a number of obstacles to receiving virtual care, such as visual and aural impairments, a lack of technology familiarity, and inadequate social support. A new letter makes numerous recommendations for enhancing virtual dermatologic care for older patients during the COVID-19 epidemic in response to these difficulties. These techniques include phone conversations enhanced with pictures, streamlined video visit connections, staff practice sessions, bigger screens, and speaker phones.
The authors also recommend utilizing a visual chart to help patients express their dermatologic concerns, teaming up with other medical specialists who visit the home, implementing dermatological house call programs, and recruiting carers to assist with technology. These methods seek to improve care for the rising number of elderly people who require dermatologic care yet are housebound and have physical, mental, and social restrictions. The COVID-19 epidemic has sparked the creation of novel methods to address these obstacles. Overall, the growing population of senior patients has led to an increasing awareness of the difficulties in delivering dermatologic care to this demographic.
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