New Survey Confirms Majority of Americans Prefer Telehealth During COVID-19
Monday, February 28th, 2022
Independa, an award-winning TV-based platform providing remote engagement, education and care, today announced the results of their second-annual commissioned survey of U.S. adults caring for their older adult parents.
The results of the survey showed a vast improvement in attitudes about the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the results of Independa's first survey, conducted in November 2020, at the height of pandemic concerns. The survey found that in 2022, only 23% of older adult parents felt isolated, compared with 85% of respondents at the height of the pandemic.
The second-annual survey uniquely touched on the topic of telehealth and found that having a virtual option for doctors office visits was a major contributor to helping adults feel more comfortable for the well-being of their older adult parents. When asked what features of telehealth were the most comforting, 69.5% preferred the comfort and convenience of telehealth, nearly two-thirds (62.8%) shared that they were thankful to save travel time, and over half (55%) preferred telehealth in order to avoid contracting infectious diseases like COVID-19.
The nationwide survey of 1,000 American adults with an older adult parent (over 70) who lives alone found that during the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Nearly two-thirds of older adults missed physical healthcare appointments during the pandemic.
- 82.6% of adults felt more comfortable with the well-being of their older parent with telehealth as an option.
- 75% of older adult parents attended telehealth appointments, with 74.4% enjoying their experience.
"It is heartening to hear this important news. I'm delighted that attitudes about COVID-19-driven isolation have improved greatly for older adults over the past 18 months," said Kian Saneii, founder and CEO of Independa. "We are also pleased to see that telehealth is making a tangible difference in the lives of our most vulnerable communities, and that older adults are adapting well to the new technological advancements that keep them healthy and safe. This very much supports our partnership goals and strategy with LG Electronics."