Experiences of people living with long-term neurological conditions and using telerehabilitation during the COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland: explorative interviews

Background Therapy interventions were disrupted by the first lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland. An instant change to telerehabilitation had to be implemented by physiotherapists. Aim Exploration of experiences of individuals living with a long-term neurological condition receiving telerehabilitation physiotherapy interventions during the first lockdown. Method Persons with a long-term neurological condition were recruited from the outpatient clinic of a local hospital in the German-speaking part of Switzerland during February and March 2021. Semi-structured individual interviews with a phenomenological perspective were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results 4 persons, 2 with multiple sclerosis and 2 with stroke (aged 44-75), were interviewed. There were 3 main themes, of which 2 had 3 subthemes: 1) Living with a neurological condition during a pandemic (daily life without and within a pandemic, symptoms, feelings and attitudes influenced by the pandemic); 2) Therapy experiences (therapeutic relationship, remote therapy, therapy experiences after the first lockdown); and 3) Family and social environment. Synchronous interventions such as live video sessions or live online groups were favored when compared to telephone calls or asynchronous digital interventions. However, for participants, it was equally important to explain how the pandemic influenced them in general. Conclusion Individuals interviewed appreciated having received therapy during the lockdown, favoring synchronous interventions. However, there are still many unanswered questions about how best to support these populations, and evidence-based recommendations are needed.