Reflection on the Psychosocial Interventions for Progressive Neurological Conditions during the Pandemic COVID 19

Life during COVID-19 witnessed major changes; the health sector demonstrated these changes the most. Chronic neurological conditions, which have minimal specialized treatment options and infrastructure facilities in India, faced a significant challenge during this period. Tele consultations became an alternative strategy for almost all health conditions to ensure that the patients are reached and cared for. The current paper is a reflection on the experiences of psychiatric social work professionals working with various neurological conditions at a national quaternary referral care center for Neurological disorders in Southern India. Reflection on the care provided for four major progressive neurological conditions, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Motor Neuron Disease (MND), Dementia, and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) found that most of the persons with these conditions and their families were happy and thankful about the initiative from the health care professionals. They communicated their concerns to the health care professionals, and appropriate interventions and referrals for the same were done through telephonic consultations. Telephonic consultations can be an effective strategy to ensure continuous care for various chronic conditions along with the general hospital-based follow-up and consultations even after the pandemic.