SELECTING DAY-TO-DAY FUNCTIONAL TASK ASSESSMENTS AMENABLE TO VIDEO TELEHEALTH FOR PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA - Innovation in Aging 2025 - Vol. 9, No. S2 - Abstract

Sep 29, 2026

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Day-to-day functional assessment is essential for limiting losses associated with dementia, and direct observation of tasks such as toothbrushing is considered the gold standard. Persons with dementia face barriers to completing these assessments, and in-home video telehealth could expand access, yet its feasibility for observing task performance has not been established. This project outlines expert-guided selection of task assessments adaptable to video delivery, using ratings of feasibility, privacy, safety, administration time, and clinical importance across tasks like toothbrushing and medication management.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Study objective

Why day-to-day task assessment matters

Goal: select video-adaptable assessments

Methods

Expert selection of daily tasks

Video feasibility rating domains

Results

Most feasible tasks for video

Least feasible tasks for video

Clinical importance and privacy/safety considerations

Implications

848 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2872 SELECTING DAY-TO-DAY FUNCTIONAL TASK ASSESSMENTS AMENABLE TO VIDEO TELEHEALTH FOR PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA Megan Gately1, Jaye McLaren2, Alexandra Howard1, Steven Shirk1, Helen Hoenig3, and Lauren Moo2, 1. VA Bedford Health Care System, Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, 2. VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, 3. Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, North Carolina, United States Assessment of day-to-day function is critical to prevent losses due to dementia, with observation of a day-to-day task such as toothbrushing being the gold standard. Patients with dementia (PWD) face barriers to such an assessment. In-home video telehealth may increase access, but the feasibility of its use to observe PWD completing day-to-day tasks has not been demonstrated. This project describes the process of selecting specific functional task assessments feasible for adaptation to video telehealth delivery to PWD. We sent ten subject matter experts (SMEs) from fields of occupational therapy, social work, geriatrics, neuropsychology, and nursing a list of 20 day-to-day tasks, such as toothbrushing and medication management, sourced from standardized and non-standardized tools. SMEs rated the feasibility of assessing tasks over video using 5-point Likert scales on domains of clinical importance, privacy and safety concerns, time to administer, and overall feasibility. The most feasible tasks for video administration were pouring a drink, washing hands, cleaning a counter, and toothbrushing. The least feasible tasks were meal preparation, tub/shower mobility, and toilet mobility. The tasks with the highest perceived clinical importance were medication management, tub/shower mobility, and home safety. Tasks with the most privacy and safety concerns involved more intimate activities: tub/shower mobility, toilet mobility, and dressing. Determining the feasibility of video assessment of day-to-day tasks involves weighing several complex factors. Understanding clinician perspectives of which tasks are amenable to video assessment will facilitate the adaptation of assessment processes to remote administration for PWD, thereby increasing access to care.

FAQs

Why are day-to-day functional task assessments important for people with dementia?

They help prevent functional losses associated with dementia. Observing everyday tasks such as toothbrushing is described as the gold standard.

What was the main feasibility gap addressed by this project?

The feasibility of using in-home video telehealth to observe people with dementia completing day-to-day tasks had not been demonstrated.

Which daily tasks were rated as most feasible and least feasible for video assessment?

Most feasible were pouring a drink, washing hands, cleaning a counter, and toothbrushing; least feasible were meal preparation, tub/shower mobility, and toilet mobility.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Riley