The Care-Finder Library, Development and Usability Evaluation of a User-Centered Digital Platform for Caregiver-Client Matching in Home-Based Care
Aim and Research Question(s)
This study looks at Austria’s ageing population and the growing wish to receive care at home. It asks three full research questions: What factors contribute to the difficulty in finding and retaining consistent formal and informal caregivers for elderly care? What are the essential key elements for fostering a successful caregiver-client relationship, and how can these insights be integrated into the design of a user-centered digital platform? What components should a caregiver matching platform include to address the needs of formal caregivers, informal caregivers, care recipients, and family members, and do these components enhance the caregiver matching process? The aim of this thesis is to turn the answers into a practical, user-centered website that reflects the needs and expectations of all stakeholders.[1] [2]
Background
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the majority of people aged 60 and over will rise from 12% in 2015 to 22% by 2050, increasing the demand for continuous care, especially home-based care. Despite this increasing demand, the availability of formal and informal care is often insufficient. Informal caregivers, usually family members, are less available due to employment obligations, or geographic distance. Simultaneously, professional care providers face a lot of issues including staff shortages, demanding working conditions, and few job perks, all of which contribute to workforce instability and decreasing motivation.
Methods
This thesis adopts a mixed-methods design that combines qualitative interviews with a quantitative usability evaluation to examine caregiver client matching in home care. The qualitative component explores experiences, expectations, and challenges among three stakeholder groups: caregivers, elderly clients, and family members using semi-structured interviews. The quantitative part tests a clickable prototype of the matching platform using the System Usability Scale.
Results and Discussion
The results suggest that matching in home care works best when people can compare options clearly, manage time easily, and feel supported in the first days. Participants wanted consistent caregiver profiles that show languages, qualifications, experience, and price. The overall usability of the caregiver mock up tool landed just below the common benchmark of 68, which points to small but important flaws in navigation and guidance that slowed people down. Digital tools matter here because they shorten the path from interest to action. With transparent profiles, real time availability, and a clear contact option, families can reach a caregiver within minutes and decide what to do next. [3]
Conclusion
The next step should be about focusing on the platform, starting by strengthening the basics, for example by offering good data protection for everyone involved, then offer informative profiles, with short and useful facts, a simple structured user interface, and a helpful servie line. Then add a background scheduling system that shows up-to-date availability, confirms bookings, and handles changes. Future research should include more interviews and usability testing from more people from different regions and care situations.
References
[1] C. H. Jones and M. Dolsten, ‘Healthcare on the brink: navigating the challenges of an aging society in the United States’, NPJ Aging, vol. 10, no. 1, p. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41514-024-00148-2"</a>. [2] U. Famira-Mühlberger et al., ‘How Vulnerable are Care Systems to Future Changes in Demand and Supply?, WIFO Working Papers, no. 677. [3] ‘Seniorenhilfe 24-Stunden Betreuung zu Hause im gewohnten Umfeld’:<a href="http://www.seniorenhilfe.at/</a>