CDI Researchers Published an Article in Journal of Applied Gerontology

Izidor Natek, dr. Vesna Dolničar and dr. Simona Hvalič Touzery, members of the Centre for Social Informatics (CDI), have published an original scientific article titled “Perceptions of Telecare and Care Burden Among Informal Caregivers of Older Adults With and Without Dementia” in the international Journal of Applied Gerontology. The article addresses an important research gap in the field of telecare by focusing on the experiences of informal caregivers, whose role is crucial in supporting ageing in place.

The study was conducted in Slovenia on a sample of 612 informal caregivers aged 40 and above. The authors compared perceived care burden, acceptability of different telecare functionalities, and perceived psychosocial outcomes of telecare use between informal caregivers of older adults with and without dementia. The findings show that caregivers of people with dementia report a higher level of care burden and greater acceptability of mobility-related technologies, which are particularly important for managing risks such as wandering.

Despite differences in perceived burden, informal caregivers in both groups reported similar psychosocial outcomes of telecare use, most notably increased reassurance and reduced anxiety. The findings highlight the importance of tailoring telecare solutions to the specific needs of informal caregivers, especially in the context of dementia care, and support the development of user-centered and context-sensitive technologies to better enable ageing in place.

The study was conducted within research projects J5-4578 (Digital transformation of health and social care: Welfare technology acceptance and knowledge among current and future healthcare and social care professional), J5-1785 (Factors impacting intention to use smart technology enabled care services among family carers of older people in the context of long-distance care)  and the research programme P5-0399 (Internet Research Programme).