“Any bit of help, helps”: Understanding how older caregivers use carework platforms for caregiving support

Document Title

“Any bit of help, helps”: Understanding how older caregivers use carework platforms for caregiving support

Document Information

• Subject Area: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Elderly Care, Digital Platforms
• Keywords: Carework platforms, caregiving, older adults, gig economy, health, well-being

Research Background and Issues

• Identified Problems or Challenges:

  1. The shortage of caregivers in the United States is becoming increasingly severe, especially accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. A growing number of older adults are taking on informal caregiving roles, yet there is limited research on how they use digital platforms to support caregiving tasks.
  3. Care-focused platforms in the gig economy have not received sufficient attention. Unlike traditional sharing economy platforms (e.g., Uber and Lyft), these platforms involve more intimate and human-centered services.

• Importance of the Issue:

  1. Addressing the caregiver shortage is critical as the population ages and caregiving demands increase.
  2. Older adults are not only care recipients but also the fastest-growing group of caregivers and technology users.
  3. Understanding how digital platforms support older caregivers can inform the design of technology solutions better suited to their needs.

• Research Motivation and Related Work:

  1. Existing studies primarily focus on gig economy platforms (e.g., ride-sharing platforms) and the roles of caregivers, but there is little research on how older caregivers successfully utilize carework platforms to supplement resources.
  2. Research in the HCI field has emphasized the role of technology in facilitating caregiving support and communication, but further exploration is needed on how these platforms alleviate the burden on older caregivers.

Solution

• Proposed Methods or Solutions:

  1. Conducted an online survey, collecting data from 193 older caregivers (aged 65 and above) in the United States.
  2. Formulated three research questions: What platforms and task types do older caregivers use? How and why do they use these services? What are their primary needs and concerns regarding these platforms?

• Innovative Contributions:

  1. Focused on how older adults actively use digital platforms and investigated the impact of their technological literacy on platform usage.
  2. Combined quantitative analysis and qualitative surveys to identify areas for improving carework platforms, including making them more user-friendly and trustworthy.
  3. Proposed design recommendations, such as positioning caregivers as educators or advisors, enhancing background checks, and allowing fixed arrangements.

• Implementation Steps and Key Techniques:

  1. Collected quantitative data: Analyzed platform usage frequency, intentions, perceived quality, privacy concerns, etc.
  2. Collected qualitative data: Used open-ended questions to explore user motivations, experiences, and ideal platform concepts.
  3. Data Analysis: Employed regression models to evaluate factors influencing usage frequency and intentions, and used thematic analysis and quantitative content analysis to process open-ended responses.

Research Findings

• Specific Findings:

  1. Older users with higher usage frequency often received more assistance with daily living activities from the platform and perceived higher care quality.
  2. Older users regarded carework platforms as critical resources that complemented their caregiving systems and helped balance personal and caregiving responsibilities.
  3. Qualitative research revealed characteristics of high-quality care (e.g., professionalism and emotional support from caregivers) as well as negative experiences (e.g., irresponsible or problematic caregivers).

• Advantages Compared to Existing Solutions:

  1. Provided a systematic understanding of older adults’ participation and usage patterns in gig economy platforms.
  2. Combined quantitative and qualitative methods to offer specific recommendations for improving platform design and meeting user needs.

• Experimental or Evaluation Results:

  • Quantitative regression analysis revealed significant correlations between caregiving usage frequency and factors such as internet skills, the amount of daily activity assistance, and perceived quality.
  • Qualitative research highlighted users’ concerns about platform design, caregiver professionalism, and the need for trust and stability.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  1. The sample primarily consisted of white participants, lacking diversity and underrepresenting low-income or less tech-savvy older caregivers.
  2. Privacy concerns were not significant in the quantitative data but emerged as a concern in qualitative responses.
  3. Further research is needed to examine platform usage in the post-pandemic era and its impact on different socioeconomic groups.

Summary and Application Recommendations

1. Platform design should enhance screening for caregiver skills and personality traits and support the establishment of long-term caregiving relationships.
2. Platforms need to optimize user interfaces to facilitate ease of use for older adults and improve transparency in privacy protection.
3. Governments and insurance companies should collaborate to reduce platform costs through subsidies or payment integration, expanding service accessibility.
4. Future research could include interviews to gain deeper insights into the needs of older caregivers and explore additional platform solutions.