Caregivers and technology: need assessment to improve digital contents on Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Purpose The main objective of this study is to analyze caregivers’ opinions regarding digital contents in order to improve a future digital product we are developing. This project is a co-creation process with caregivers, who have contributed the digital content they believe is relevant to include. We have also asked them about the content they believe would be relevant for persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's with the aim of integrating this group in a second phase of the project. Method The research tool of this study is a survey. The survey was self-administered in an online format. In Pasqual Maragall Foundations’s database, we targeted adult caregivers of relatives with Alzheimer's who were participants (2023) and former participants (editions 2021 and 2022) of the online support groups and face-to-face therapeutics groups The survey was provided to an eligible population (N) of 494 caregivers, yielding a sample of 147 individuals with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 8%. A univariate and multivariate descriptive analysis was conducted using RStudio to validate or reject relationships among variables. Two separate databases were utilized based on the language of the survey (Catalan and Spanish). Results and Discussion The tools rated as the most useful were related to the management of time and care tasks, and the contents identified as the most useful were aimed at providing support on communication with the person living with Alzheimer’s. In this sense, practical advice and information for resources about the disease stand out. Caregivers believed that the most valuable aspect of a digital community is the ability to share strategies, connect, and exchange experiences with people in similar situations. From the caregiver’s perspective, cognitive stimulation is one of the most valued resources and areas of interest for the person with AD, followed by the promotion of autonomy.