Potential assistive technology preferences of informal caregivers of people with disability

BACKGROUND: Preferences of informal caregivers of people with neurocognitive disorders for technological solutions are important in user- centered design approaches. It is crucial to take into consideration the needs and preferences of users when developing new technology to facilitate their uptake. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine caregiver preferences for potential technological solutions to help address their needs and compare technology preferences of caregivers who provide care to those with and without neurocognitive disorders (NCD). METHODS: This was a quantitative descriptive study. We surveyed informal caregivers of older adults with disability in Canada. Participants were asked to answer questions about their preferences for 10 potential technological solutions that could be developed to make caregiving easier. RESULTS: Data from 125 respondents (72 caregivers of people with NCD and 53 caregivers of people with non-NCD-related disabilities) were analyzed. Generally, caregivers preferred web-based solutions as these were among the first five choices for both groups combined. However, there were some differences in the order of preference of potential solutions in both groups. CONCLUSION: Informal caregivers of people with NCD preferred web-based solutions to help address their needs.