Satisfaction of Caregivers of Persons with Aphasia towards Speech-Language Tele Therapy

Abstract

Tele therapy has been the need of the hour during the COVID-19 crisis. Due to issues like social distancing, the face-to-face therapy or direct therapy is a not a feasible option, considering the current scenario tele rehabilitation is assumed to be a potential replacement for face-to-face therapy. As the outbreak of COVID-19 was sudden and rapid, the paradigm shift from face-to-face therapy to tele therapy was sudden this could in turn affect the outcome of therapy. The satisfaction is yet another parameter which is to be explored in addition to the outcome. The current study was carried out with the aim of determining the level of satisfaction in caregivers of persons with aphasia. As persons with aphasia may not be able to judge satisfaction due to their issues in comprehension and expression caregivers with aphasia were considered. A total of 14 care givers of clients with aphasia served as participants. A questionnaire tapping details on the level of satisfaction was administered on these caregivers and the results revealed that the caregivers were satisfied with respect to the goals undertaken, demonstration of techniques etc. Satisfaction level was low for technical aspects which warrant the need for developing an uniform protocol while delivering tele therapy. Caregivers who had not received face to face therapy before expressed more satisfaction than those caregivers who had received therapy before.