Perceptions of clinicians and older adults regarding telehealth in neuropsychology and speech-language pathology: a qualitative study

Abstract Introduction With a growing proportion of older adults at increased risk of cognitive impairments requiring neuropsychological or speech-language pathology services, telehealth has emerged as an effective solution to overcome barriers to healthcare access, particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. To understand the ongoing challenges and opportunities in a post-pandemic context, this study aimed to describe telehealth-related factors in neuropsychology and speech-language pathology for older adults across diverse clinical and regional settings in Québec, Canada, integrating input from both clinicians and older adults. Methods Focus groups were conducted with 11 speech-language pathologists (three groups), 9 neuropsychologists (two groups), and 17 older adults (four groups) to explore their perceptions on telehealth-based activities in neuropsychology and speech-language pathology. Focus group discussions were transcribed and analyzed using an inductive approach, comparing results across all participant groups. Results According to the participants, telehealth can be a solution to access problems in neuropsychology and speech-language pathology. However, participants mentioned the lack of resource availability as a significant barrier to telehealth use. Additionally, patient-specific characteristics may hinder some older adults from benefiting from this modality. Discussion Telehealth in neuropsychology and speech-language pathology appears acceptable and feasible to participants, provided that the virtual modality is accessible to patients and that they are included in the decision-making process. Furthermore, clinicians should be able to rely on more comprehensive validation data for clinical activities, and an effort should be made to make telehealth more accessible to older adults living in rural areas. Future research should explore specific hybrid models to mitigate potential telehealth barriers.