An app for informal care User experiences and obstacles from the perspective of family caregivers

Background: A target group for digital services are people who are involved in informal care arrangements. Family caregivers often undertake the organization and coordination of care, which is associated with a high need for information.Objective: The study examined the extent to which family caregivers perceive the use of a mobile digital application as facilitating day to day care, in particular regarding information needs.Material and methods: A market-ready mobile smartphone app was used by 16 informal caregivers over several months. Qualitative interviews were conducted to investigate which app features are being used in real informal care situations and which are perceived as added value. The analysis was carried out with content analysis according to Kuckartz.Results: The app was sporadically used and satisfaction with the information it provides depends on the care situation itself. The participants see added value and facilitation through the app mainly at the beginning of a care situation. They expressed the wish for requirements that have not yet been integrated, e.g., regional information or individual adaptations.Conclusion: For digital support options to develop the desired potential, those involved in informal care must be aware of them at an early stage. Further prerequisites for care apps to be perceived as added value by the target group are a trustworthy presentation of the contents, the customizability and that they are up to date.