TELEHEALTH ACCESS FOR SENIORS - RI State

Description

Due to COVID-19, most medical providers rapidly shifted from in-person appointments to a TeleHealth model to keep both patients and providers safe. However, the success of this switch relied on patients having access to camera-enabled devices. Our organization quickly recognized low-income patients and particularly low-income elderly patients were the least likely to have compatible devices for TeleMedicine, as a camera-enabled device can be hundreds of dollars and nearly ⅓ of seniors are left with no savings or are in debt after meeting essential expenses every month as the Institute on Assets and Social Policy found. Furthermore, the highest risk patient population for COVID-19 is the elderly and over ½ of all seniors have 3 or more chronic conditions, therefore meaning they must receive continuous care during a pandemic.

Our goal is to provide equitable and easy access to vital medical care to ensure that income and age are not barriers to health and that low-income patients and seniors do not have to leave the safety of their homes and can maintain physical and mental wellbeing. We help impoverished seniors and low-income families who cannot connect with their physicians or family members virtually due to a lack of technology or digital literacy. To do so, we provide seniors and low-income communities with smart devices via their clinics so they can use the devices for TeleMedicine appointments, digital connectivity, and wellness tools. In addition to devices, we provide comprehensive print-out guides and free virtual tech-support around the clock.