Lived experiences of caregivers upon receiving occupational therapy through telehealth amidst the pandemic

Abstract

Within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth was seen to be a viable and alternative solution to provide occupational therapy services in the Philippines. This phenomenological study aimed to describe the lived experiences of Filipino parents and carers in receiving occupational therapy through telehealth for their children with disabilities. We interviewed 10 participants who were considered primary carers of a Filipino child with disabilities undergoing telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic situation. An interpretative phenomenological analysis involving double hermeneutics was employed to analyze the interviews that yielded four themes: “dimensions of telehealth in occupational therapy”, “reinforcing family-centered occupational therapy”, “emphasizing an occupational therapist’s advocacy role”, and “telehealth in occupational therapy–today and tomorrow”. Our findings suggest that in order for telehealth to be a sustainable service, it should be seen not merely as an alternative in the occupational therapy service delivery process. Although telehealth remains to be an evolving concept and practice within health services, telehealth must be practiced within the principles of family-centered care approaches, interprofessional collaboration, and health accessibility and equitability. This study hopes to facilitate intersections between service providers and service users to cultivate a shared goal of bringing together experiences that will inform a more contextualized occupational therapy and telehealth practice at the tail-end of the pandemic. In conclusion, telehealth in occupational therapy shall not be an alternative, but an integrative tool that occupational therapists can maximize to transform occupational therapy access and equity.