By Dr. Srinivas Rajkumar T, Consultant Psychiatrist

💬 “My father forgets things—can we do a memory check online?”

📞 “My mother is too weak for a hospital visit—can we talk to a doctor by phone?”

🧓 “How do we involve family members if the patient is hard of hearing?”

These are real, important questions I hear every week from adult children, caregivers, and senior citizens.

The good news is: Telepsychiatry for the elderly works—and it can be life-changing.
With the right approach, older adults can receive mental health care from the comfort of home, with family support, and full confidentiality.

🧠 Common Mental Health Concerns in Older Adults

• Memory loss or dementia

• Depression and loneliness

• Sleep issues

• Anxiety about health

• Medication-related confusion

• Delirium after hospitalisation

• Grief and caregiver stress

These concerns are often under-reported and under-treated—but very manageable with the right care.

📲 How Telepsychiatry Helps Older Adults

• 🏠 No travel required – ideal for frail or mobility-limited seniors

• 🧑‍⚕️ Private and non-threatening – especially for those hesitant to visit a hospital

• 👪 Caregiver can join in – allows collaborative discussions

• 🕒 Short, flexible sessions – suited for attention span and energy levels

🧪 Memory and Dementia Screening – Done Online

We use standard tools like:

• MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment)

• MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination)

• Simple tasks involving language, memory, drawing, orientation

💡 Caregivers can help with screen positioning or responses if needed.
This helps detect early signs of Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, or reversible cognitive decline (e.g. B12 deficiency, depression).

👨‍👩‍👧 Involving the Caregiver – A Team Approach

In many cases, especially with dementia, the patient may:

• Deny memory loss

• Have trouble understanding instructions

• Feel confused during a call

That’s why I encourage caregivers to:

• Be present during the call

• Help describe real-life examples (forgetting, repeating, getting lost)

• Monitor medications and report any side effects or sedation

• Assist in making lifestyle changes at home

📝 We often create a shared care plan—so everyone is aligned.

💊 Assessing Medication and Sleep in Older Adults

Older patients are often on multiple medications—and may experience:

• Confusion or imbalance

• Over-sedation

• Drug interactions (e.g. psychiatric + diabetic medications)

Through teleconsultation, I:

• Review each medicine

• Adjust psychiatric drugs to safer alternatives

• Minimize “pill burden”

• Address sleep issues without dependency (e.g. melatonin, trazodone over benzodiazepines)

🛌 Better sleep improves memory, mood, and daily functioning.

📞 No Video? No Problem.

Some elderly patients may:

• Not be comfortable with video calls

• Have vision, hearing, or tech barriers

In such cases, I conduct audio-only consultations, provided:

• A family member joins to help with history

• Follow-up is consistent

• Any visual aids (lab reports, medication list) are shared via WhatsApp or email

📄 We can even share printed prescriptions or reports for home nurses or primary doctors to follow.

👨‍⚕️ My Approach to Elderly Mental Health Care

As a Consultant Psychiatrist working closely with elderly patients and caregivers, I focus on:

• Early detection of dementia or depression

• Safe medication management

• Family-centered care plans

• Online or home-based support when travel isn’t feasible

📞 To book a teleconsultation for your elderly loved one: Call 8595155808
📍 I consult via video or phone – Tamil/English/Hindi
🕘 Morning and evening slots available

🧾 Final Thoughts

Mental health care for older adults doesn’t have to be hospital-based.
With telepsychiatry, you can bring compassionate, expert support right into your loved one’s home.

Start with a conversation. Stay consistent.
Because dignity, clarity, and comfort should not be age-limited.