MOBILE APPS FOR CAREGIVERS GENERALLY ADDRESS SOME BUT NOT ALL FORMS OF EVIDENCE-BASED SUPPORT

Abstract

Informal caregivers of older adults with dementia provide critical support for their loved ones but are subject to negative health outcomes because of burden and stress. Interventions to provide information and resources as well as social and emotional support reduce burden. Mobile applications featuring access to information, assistance with scheduling, and other features can automate support functions inexpensively and conveniently and reach a greater proportion of caregivers than otherwise possible. The aim was to identify mobile applications geared towards caregivers, trace their continuing availability, catalog features, and suggest best practices for adoption based on empirical findings of beneficial interventions in the caregiving literature. Search for applications focused on those for caregivers of older adults in Google Play and iTunes, identifying their availability over a 32-month period, recording their features, and comparing features with those of successful intervention studies reducing negative caregiver outcomes. Intervention research indicates that provision of information and resources, assistance in practical problem solving, coordinating care among multiple caregivers, and emotional support reduce caregiver burden. Despite approximately 165,000 mobile health-related applications, availability of mobile applications for caregivers is relatively sparse with 46 apps as of December 2016. Nevertheless, this number has more than doubled over the last two years. Applications generally addressed specific categories of support, including information and resources, family communication, and/or caregiver-recipient interactions. Few applications were comprehensive, with only 10.9% (5 apps) with features that addressed more than three categories. Few applications provided specific stress reduction exercises for caregivers, important for reducing burden. Mobile applications have the potential to provide education, just-in-time information for problem solving, and stress reduction strategies for caregivers. Many applications offer functions that have been shown to reduce burden and improve health outcomes in caregivers, but few provide emotional support. Using an evidence-based practice approach, we can recommend mobile applications to caregivers that provide multiple beneficial support functions. Applications can serve a much larger proportion of this highly underserved population in their mobile form that more traditional means, improving their health and quality of life.