Use of information and communication technology in occupational therapy for older adults

Figures & data

Figure 1. Proportion (%) of occupational therapists who replaced a physical home visit with occupational therapy at a distance through information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Table 1. Occupational therapists’ accesses to hardware and information and Communication Technology (ICT) -solutions (n^a= 167).

Hardware	n (%)
Smartphone	164 (98,2)
Laptop	154 (92,1)
Computer (stationary)	70 (41,9)
Telephone (stationary)	42 (25,1)
Tablet	34 (20,4)
Other^b	5 (3,0)
ICT-solutions	n (%)
Phone calls	151 (90,4)
E-mail	121 (72,5)
Videoconference	116 (69,5)
SMS	99 (59,3)
Photographs	88 (52,7)
Applications	39 (23,4)
Chat	33 (19,8)
Pre-recorded video	23 (13,8)
Have not used any ICT-solutions for digital meetings	9 (5,4)
Other^c	3 (1,8)

^a Multiple answers were possible.

^b Other including for example: Cellphone (not smartphone) or headset.

^c Other including for example: secure systems and digital keys.

Figure 2. Occupational therapists’ access to hardware and information and Communication Technology (ICT) -solutions, knowledge and education, guidelines, and support to use ICT (n = 167).

Figure 3. Occupational therapists’ (OTs) considerations of their managers expectations, and the possibility to use information and Communication Technology (ICT) in occupational therapy (n = 167).

Table 2. Assessments, interventions and follow-ups^a that occupational therapists performed through information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Assessment performed through ICT	n^b (%)
Technical aids	80 (47,9)
Home environment	38 (22,8)
Occupational performance	31 (18,6)
Mobility	29 (17,4)
Risk of falling	18 (10,8)
Cognition	15 (9,0)
Pain	6 (3,6)
Bodily functions	5 (3,0)
Other^c	5 (3,0)
Interventions performed through ICT	n (%)
Technical aids counselling	96 (57,5)
Supervision staff	90 (53,9)
Instruction/counselling	66 (39,5)
Supervision relatives	65 (38,9)
Technical aids prescription	57 (34,1)
Environmental adaptation	35 (21,0)
Fall prevention	33 (19,8)
Mobility	30 (17,8)
Plan/structure everyday life	18 (10,8)
Communication	13 (7,8)
Eating/drinking	11 (6,6)
Dressing	11 (6,6)
Hygiene	11 (6,6)
Cooking	9 (5,4)
Other activities	8 (4,8)
Purchase groceries	7 (4,2)
Travel	5 (3,0)
Cleaning/washing	5 (3,0)
Strength Training	4 (2,4)
Body care, e.g. manicure	2 (1,2)
Walking/stair training	2 (1,2)
Balance training	1 (0,6)
Standing training	1 (0,6)
Pain treatment	1 (0,6)
Self-care	1 (0,6)
Follow-ups performed through ICT	n (%)
Technical aids	129 (77,2)
Mobility	91 (54,5)
Home environment	89 (53,3)
Occupational performance	75 (44,9)
Fall prevention	44 (26,3)
Bodily functions	14 (8,4)
Cognition	8 (4,8)
Pain	3 (1,8)
Self-care	1 (0,6)

^aSome of the occupational therapists answered both that they never had performed assessment (n = 3) or intervention (n = 8) through ICT, and also answered one or more other alternatives.

^b Multiple answers were possible.

^c Other assessments include for example digital assessment before or after physical home visit.

Table 3. Description of information and Communication Technology (ICT) -solutions used in occupational therapy at distance (n^a = 167).

	Assessment n (%)	Intervention n (%)	Follow-up n (%)	Communication client n (%)	Communication relative n (%)	Communication staff n (%)
Video conference	18 (10,8)	13 (7,8)	31 (18,6)	39 (23,4)	40 (24,0)	41 (24,6)
Phone call^b	79 (47,3)	92 (55,1)	146 (87,4)	145 (86,8)	164 (98,2)	159 (95,2)
Chat	1 (0,6)	1 (0,6)	2 (1,2)	2 (1,2)	3 (1,8)	4 (2,4)
Short Message Service (SMS)^b	14 (8,4)	17 (10,2)	29 (17,4)	75 (44,9)	73 (43,7)	52 (31,1)
Application	1 (0,6)	2 (1,2)	3 (1,8)	5 (3,0)	5 (3,0)	4 (2,4)
E-mail^b	22 (13,2)	35 (20,1)	45 (26,9)	53 (31,7)	64 (38,3)	87 (52,1)
Pre-recorded video	0 (0)	1 (0,6)	2 (1,2)	4 (2,4)	3 (1,8)	5 (3,0)
Other^c	7 (4,2)	8 (4,8)	1 (0,6)	4 (2,4)	2 (1,2)	8 (4,8)

^a Multiple answers were possible.

^b Some of the OTs answered it as a direct digital tool, some as an indirect digital tool and some both.

^c Other includes various digital communications and planning tools, support from digital tools in physical meeting (e.g. hearing aids and websites), multimedia messaging service (MMS) and pager.

Table 4. Occupational therapists (OTs) motivating and limiting factors for occupational therapy at a distance through information and Communication Technology (ICT) (n = 167).

Motivating factors	n^a (%)
ICT is a good complement to physical home visits	128 (76,6)
Funny to try something new	81 (48,5)
Meetings through ICT saves time	57 (34,1)
Reduced environmental impact	53 (31,7)
ICT enables time to meet more clients	41 (24,6)
ICT is a future working method	38 (22.8)
ICT enables to visit client living at far distance	30 (18)
Other^b	6 (3,6)
Limiting factors	n^a(%)
I get a better overall picture with physical home visits	114 (68,3)
ICT is not suitable for the clients I work with	82 (49,1)
I don’t have enough knowledge about working through ICT	64 (38,3)
Limited guidelines/policies	57 (34,1)
Clients don’t want to meet through ICT	35 (21)
Limited ICT-solutions	34 (20,4)
ICT is not suitable for occupational therapy	22 (13,2)
Limited hardware	21 (12,6)
Limited administrative support from IT department	19 (11,4)
Limited support from supervisor	12 (7,2)
Other^c	10 (6,0)

^a Multiple answers were possible.

^b Other for example: ICT is a good alternative at a pandemic/infection or use digital solutions as support at a physical meeting.

^c Other for example: limited by laws/secrecy or the clients’ availability to meet through ICT.

Table 5. Factors associated with if the occupational therapists replaced PHV^a with occupational therapy at a distance through information and Communication Technology (ICT) once or more a month. n = 167.

		Replaced PHV with ICT more than ones a month. n (%)	Replaced PHV with ICT never or less than ones a month. n (%)	p-value^b
Access to hardware	Very or quite goodBad, none or don’t know	72 (43,1)8 (4,8)	73 (43,7)14 (8,4)	0.245
Access to ICT-solutions	Very or quite good Bad, none or don’t know	67 (40,1)13 (7,8)	60 (35,9)27 (16,2)	0.025
Knowledge in using ICT for occupational therapy	Very or quite good Moderate, bad, none or don’t know	45 (26,9)35 (21,0)	49 (29,3)38 (22,8)	0.993
Education in using ICT for occupational therapy	YesNo	20 (12,0)60 (35,9)	15 (9,0)72 (43,1)	0.218
Better overall picture with physical visits	Yes No	56 (33,5)24 (14,4)	58 (34,7)29 (17,4)	0.644
ICT considered a good complement to PHV	Yes No	66 (39,5)14 (8,4)	62 (37,1)25 (15,0)	0.086
Possible to use ICT in occupational therapy	Several or some situationsFew or no situations	53 (31,7) 27 (16,2)	35 (21,0) 52 (31,1)	<.001
Support from manager	Very or quite good Bad, none or don’t know	65 (38,9)15 (9,0)	49 (29,3)38 (22,8)	<.001
Managers expectations to use ICT	Several or some situationsFew or no situations or don’t know	66 (39,5) 14 (8,4)	51 (30,5) 36 (21,6)	<.001
Guidelines, governing documents or policies	Very or quite good Bad, none or don’t know	31 (18,6)49 (29,3)	26 (15,6)61 (36,5)	0.227
Administrative support from IT department	Very or quite good Bad, none or don’t know	53 (31,7)27 (16,2)	48 (28,7)39 (23,4)	0.144
Municipal group	ABC	14 (8,4)38 (22,8)28 (16,8)	24 (14.4)39 (23,4)24 (14,4)	0.264

^a PHV = physical home visits.

^b Significance level p≤.0.05, analyses based on Chi² tests.

Table 6. Logistic regression model for replacing PHV^a with occupational therapy at a distance through information and Communication Technology (ICT) once or more a month (n = 167).

	OR (95% CI)^b	p-value^c	McF^d R²
Very or quite good access to ICT-solutions	1.188 (0.49 − 2.89)	0.704	0.107
Very or quite good support from manager	2.263 (0.99 − 5.18)	0.053
Managers expectations to use ICT	1.939 (0.85 − 4.45)	0.118
Possible to use ICT in occupational therapy	2.544 (1.32 − 4.92)	0.006

^a PHV = Physical home visit.

^b OR = Odds Ratio CI = Confidence interval 95 %.

^c Significance level p ≤.05.

^d McF = McFadden pseudo R².