Page 15 - SOUTH FLORIDA HOSPITAL NEWS JULY 2022

A DVANCES I N

T ELEMEDICINE

A New Look at Telemedicine

Telemedicine became a incorporate puppeteers
lifeline for many patients into the class.
during COVID. And while it They can be for all age
continues to be a viable alter- groups: One of the les-
native for patients to stay in sons we learned through-
touch face to face with their out Covid is that we all
healthcare professionals, I need to practice mindful-
have personally seen how ness and mediation. Mid-
telemedicine for wellness day yoga and mindful
topics produces amazing classes are popular for
results. those working from home
When I began teaching sitting at the computer all
wellness classes, including BY CATHY WHITT day who need just want
yoga, diabetes prevention this break can provide. Or
and cooking classes, among others, for it can be a respite for those older adults
Holy Cross Health and then yoga for stu- that are homebound.
dents in the Broward County School sys- It works: There are many family and
tem partnering with BECON TV, they friends that for whatever reason may not
were held in person. Then like every- be able to physically leave their home to
thing else, as a result of the pandemic, we participate. I had an 85-year-old woman
went virtual. While we lost that in-per- in my yoga class who lived in Maryland
son contact, we were able to expand our and practiced chair yoga. She told me
reach globally. that sometimes I was the only person she
Of course that meant our viewers had saw that week. You don’t realize that so
to be committed to our Zoom classes. many older adults are confined to their
Many of them had to learn what Zoom home. They get lonely and it affects their
was and how it works. But they soon dis- mental health. You become friendly with
covered it was user-friendly, and they your class and that warms my heart.
looked forward to the “movement” in the Early on, I helped one 85-year-old
classes and many felt it was a stress woman in our yoga class find a location
reliever, particularly during such an near her to get her vaccine.
unprecedented time. Worldwide access: Perhaps the best
story I can share is with a very special
What did we learn about young man in Orlando. Sam is a Special
telemedicine wellness style? Olympian, competing in cycling. I con-
Convenience: Online wellness classes nected with Sam and his mom during
means that you don’t need to join a gym our yoga classes, and we would talk
or travel somewhere other than to a about his dream to compete at the state
room in your home or a safe area out- and national level. I am proud to say that
doors where you can, at the touch of a Sam reached that goal of competing at
keyboard, take a yoga class or any other the state level. Because of my work with
health-related class. Sam, I was invited to teach a class to
Financial benefits: Online classes young adults with down syndrome.
saves you time and money on gas and Telemedicine wellness style should not
gym fees. be overlooked. It’s a way to keep all of us
Inspires creativity: We have found informed, educated and engaged no mat-
innovative ways to make the classes fun. ter where we are.
For example for one of our diabetes pre-
vention classes for adults, we hosted a Cathy Whitt is Community Wellness
themed tea party. For another yoga class Specialist, Holy Cross Health.
for kids, we partnered with a company to

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