Useful Information
A guideline for assisted (video-)calling for patients using alternative means and methods of communication in the clinical context
In the field of Intensive Care and Neuro-Rehabilitation patients often have temporary, and sometimes long term, inability to speak anymore. If relatives live far away or cannot visit the patients regularly due to different reasons (e.g. care of children, financial reasons) phone calls and videocalls may be the only possibility to stay in contact. Additionally, in times of COVID-19 visits are very restricted or forbidden in most hospitals or nursing homes.
A direct contact via phone or videocalls between the patient and the relatives is highly important. For the relatives it is important to feel safe about the well-being of the patient, to get literally "a picture" of the situation, to have a chance to get involved in vital decisions and to continue social roles, for example as parents, children, partners or siblings. For the patients it can be important for their emotional well-being and comfort to hear familiar voices (even if he or she is in a minimally conscious state), to stay in touch with the family and friends, to feel supported and to take part in the life at home from afar. Calls can also be a great motivation and a "natural reason" to use voice and to be talkative again. Not infrequently the first verbal utterances after traumatic injury or in people with severe aphasia are evoked by the familiar routine of phone calls.
But how can providers assist in (video-)calls, especially if the patient cannot speak, if the patient is not yet able to communicate independently, or not even able to socially connect to others?
This paper aims to give some guidelines and support for different challenges in assisting a call, including means and methods of alternative and augmentative communication.
