JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The importance of supporting caregivers is recognized in home care for older persons, and facilitating their help-seeking process is a way to meet that need. The use of eHealth is a potentially promising solution to facilitate caregivers’ help-seeking process.

Objective:

The goal of this research was to develop, in partnership with community organizations, health and social service professionals and caregivers, an eHealth tool promoting an earlier identification of the needs of older persons and an optimal use of available resources.

Methods:

To design the tool, eight co-design sessions were conducted and three advisory committees created (in 11 regions) in Quebec between May 2017 and May 2018. A variety of methods were used including the sorting method, the use of personas, eHealth tool analysis, brainstorming, sketching, prototyping, pretesting, etc.

Results:

A total of 74 co-designers (women N=64; men N=10) were recruited to participate in the co-design sessions or the advisory committees. This number allowed for the identification of needs to which the tool must respond, and for identification of its requirements (functionalities and content), as well as for the development of the information architecture. Throughout the study, adjustments were made to the planning of the co-design sessions, notably because certain steps required more sessions than expected. Among others, this was true for the identification of functionalities.

Conclusions:

This study led to the development of an eHealth tool for caregivers of functionally dependent older persons to help them identify their needs and the resources available to meet them.