Journal Identification = NRP Article Identification = 0638 Date: June 16, 2021 Time: 4:26 pm
doi:10.1684/nrp.2021.0638
REVUE DE NEUROPSYCHOLOGIE
NEUROSCIENCES COGNITIVES ET CLINIQUES
70
Point of view
Rev Neuropsychol
2020 ; 12 (S1) : 70-1
Neuropsychology at the time of the
health crisis caused by COVID-19 * La neuropsychologie à l’heure
de la crise sanitaire engendrée par le Covid-19
Martine Roussel Department of Neurology, Amiens University Hospital
Laboratory of Functional Neurosciences
<roussel.martine@chu-amiens.fr>
To cite this article: Roussel M. Neu- ropsychology at the time of the health crisis caused by COVID-19.
Rev Neuropsychol 2020;12(S1):70-1 doi:10.1684/nrp.2021.0638
T
oday, all activities in public hospitals are subject to productivity and competitiveness [1], including the activity of neuropsychologists. In this context, neuropsychologists are invited to perform professional acts (consultations) that can be taken into account. This objec- tive is hardly compatible with the current context of the pandemic. The emergence of COVID-19 erodes the thought that an activity must be able to be “profitable” to be useful.The role of the neuropsychologists in institutions is much broader than that expressed in terms of accounting. For example, during the epidemic peak, the number of consul- tations decreased significantly. However, the demand for psychological support for patients with cognitive impair- ments confined to their homes, patients with COVID-19 and their families and health care teams supporting these patients has continued to grow.
Neuropsychologists have adapted to meet these de- mands, and sometimes even set up innovative organiza- tions. Thus, if consultations could not be carried out, digital technology made it possible to establish contacts (telecon- sultations, mobile phones) with patients suffering from cognitive disorders and their families, for which containment was an additional challenge. Spontaneously, these organizations were set up in our team, to inform patients and their families of the measures implemented, reassure them and propose alternative follow-up solutions.
Neuropsychologists and speech-language pathologists from the University Memory Clinic and Geriatric Unit have developed resources for patients and their families. These resources have also proven to be particularly useful for caregivers in COVID-19 units who are dealing with patients with cognitive and behavioral impairments. The objective
∗This article is an English language translation of the following article:
Roussel M. La neuropsychologie à l’heure de la crise sanitaire engen- drée par le Covid-19. Rev Neuropsychol 2020 ; 12 (2) : 191-2.
doi:10.1684/nrp.2020.0568.
Correspondence:
M. Roussel
was to give them access to knowledge that would enable them to better understand these disorders that could affect the quality of care. For example, cognitive impairment can affect patients’ communication abilities, requiring caregivers to adapt their communication procedures.
These resources reminded us that demented patients with COVID-19 with significant oral comprehension dis- orders could, perceive the comforting and reassuring voice of a loved one on the phone. These resources also described procedures to help patients to respect barrier gestures despite the presence of memory problems. Many French neuropsychology teams have proposed resources directly accessible on websites. In addition, families were reminded that consultation with the referring neurologist or geriatri- cian was always possible if necessary (e.g., aggravation of behavioral disorders in this confinement context). The dis- semination of these resources was made possible thanks to the communication services of our institutions but also thanks to regional and national organizations (Univer- sity Memory Clinic, Psychologist associations, etc.). These organizations made it possible to disseminate these docu- ments quickly via the Internet. In order to reach a wider audience, these resources were also disseminated in the local press.
Our colleagues representing the College of Psycho- logists (elected by their peers) helped set up these organiza- tions in collaboration with the Director of Human Resources and the Occupational Psychologist. From the beginning of the pandemic, psychologists among which neuropsycho- logists participated in focus groups on a number of issues, such as how to explain the health context to children, support for bereaved families, management of stress in care- givers or psychological support for post-COVID patients.
Neuropsychologists and their psychiatric psychologist colleagues participate in specific psychological support services (telephone line support, psychological debriefing group). These services have been implemented in our facil- ity to assist and support health care teams in COVID-19 treatment units and all other hospital professionals in the
Journal Identification = NRP Article Identification = 0638 Date: June 16, 2021 Time: 4:26 pm
REVUE DE NEUROPSYCHOLOGIE
NEUROSCIENCES COGNITIVES ET CLINIQUES
71
Point of view
face of the new and uncertain nature of this COVID-19 health situation.
The Lead Psychiatrist Dr Guillaumont (Psychological Emergency Unit) also proposed that the closure of COVID- 19 units be followed by immediate emotional support.
These meetings allowed caregivers to talk about trau- matic emotional experiences and could lead to individual psychological support if needed. Indeed, we are totally unequal in the face of traumatic experiences and some of us could develop post-traumatic stress disorder. During these meetings, several caregivers spoke about the traumatic experience of their patients’ brutal death and the painful experience of the near absence of funeral rites due to the
“strict” rules imposed by COVID-19. As recalled by Alain de Broca[2](April 9, 2020), who remembers Antigone?
These concrete actions highlight the role of neuropsy- chologists in this COVID-19 health crisis. They have a key role in hospital settings with their clinical psychologist colleagues: they enable the maintenance of neuropsycho- logical follow-up of patients, they set up psychological support for families and patients suffering from COVID-19 and psychological support for health professionals. Neu- ropsychologists thus help reposition the institution on a human scale to face new challenges in these times of excep- tional health crisis.
Conflict of interest None.
References
1.Le Coz P. L’exigence éthique et la tarification à l’activité à l’hôpital.
Revue de Philosophie économique2009 ; 1 : 35-53.
2.Broca A.Les mourants et les endeuillés aujourd’hui. Qui se sou- vient d’Antigone ? Espace de Réflexion Éthique Hauts-de-France.
https://www.ethique-hdf.fr/detail-article-covid-19/?tx_news_pi1 [news]=679&cHash=9dbbfd45b9bfecf3517363aa5f2712f1 (Site con- sulté le 9 avril 2020).
