Identifying the essential features of an eldercare software platform through analyzing caregiver surveys conducted in Bulgaria

Abstract

Population aging is a global challenge, exacerbated by two main issues. Firstly, there is a significant increase in the number of elderly adults, and secondly, there is a notable decrease in qualified staff available to care for retirees. In recent years, European countries have responded by raising the retirement age, but this only offers a partial and temporary solution. Training qualified personnel is an alternative, yet it's a lengthy and costly endeavor. Enhancing staff efficiency through improved qualifications is crucial, but as mentioned, it's time-consuming. A key strategy in optimizing the work of elderly caregivers is the large-scale digitization of their activities. To do this effectively, a thorough understanding of the daily needs and challenges faced by caregivers is essential. This understanding can be gleaned from a carefully structured questionnaire, comprising three questions divided into four categories, each encompassing specific predefined needs and challenges. These were evaluated by respondents, with their scores subsequently aggregated and normalized. From these normalized values, we can derive the critical functions needed for a software platform dedicated to digitizing social workers' tasks.