Authors (including presenting author) :
Yip KY (1), Chow W K (1)
Affiliation :
(1) Occupational Therapy Department, Tai Po Hospital
Introduction :
The growing complexity of psychogeriatric care transitions from hospital to home presents significant challenges in healthcare delivery. The Enhanced Elderly Discharge Program (EEDP) addresses these challenges by integrating telehealth solutions with conventional discharge planning. This pilot program demonstrates positive outcomes in caregiver empowerment and service efficiency through telehealth-integrated service delivery.
Objectives :
(1) To develop and implement a telehealth-integrated discharge framework for psychogeriatric care transitions
(2) To enhance caregiver readiness for supporting home-based elderly care
(3) To optimize service delivery efficiency through telehealth solutions
Methodology :
This pilot program was conducted from August to December 2024, involving psychogeriatric patient-caregiver pairs (n=10). The program integrated three components: (1) telehealth-integrated environmental assessment, (2) caregiver training via HA Go teleinfo and (3) community integration.
Outcomes were evaluated using mixed methods. Quantitative measures included program completion rates, caregiver efficacy, carer stress level, and satisfaction ratings. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Paired t-tests were used for statistical analysis (p< 0.05).
Result & Outcome :
The pilot program achieved a 100% completion rate with environmental assessments successfully implemented through 50 % telehealth-only and 50% of hybrid approaches. 60% of caregivers participated in telehealth-based training.
Analysis of caregiver outcomes revealed substantial improvements across multiple domains, with caregiver efficacy increasing by 29% (p=0.003). Service understanding and selection efficacy demonstrated improvements of 42% (p=0.001) and 40% (p=0.005) respectively. The Zarit Carer Stress Index showed a reduction of 31% (p< 0.01) in stress levels. Satisfaction metrics remained consistently high, with participants rating overall program satisfaction at 8.6/10 and implementation effectiveness at 9.3/10.
Service efficiency analysis demonstrated reduced assessment duration compared to traditional onsite approaches, suggesting improved resource utilization through telehealth integration.
However, technology literacy barriers among older caregivers emerged as a notable challenge affecting participation patterns. While these preliminary findings indicate promising outcomes, validation through large-scale multi-site studies is necessary to establish broader applicability and effectiveness.
Conclusion:
The telehealth-integrated discharge program demonstrated effectiveness through improved caregiver competence, reduced stress levels, and high satisfaction rates. Further large-scale research is recommended to validate these positive impacts in service delivery optimization and caregiver empowerment.
