Development and Evaluation of an Application for Supporting Informal Caregivers of People With Dementia in Their Daily Life

Background, current situation, and motivation

According to current estimates, 100,000 people in Austria suffer from various types of dementia. According to forecasts, this number of people will rise to approximately 230,000 by 2050 due to the demographic development and the increase of the prevalence rate. Data from the service statistics show that 85% of dementia patients still live in the community in their homes and informal caregivers, such as relatives, support them. In total, more than 300,000 people care for their relatives in Austria in addition to professional support. However, not only the person affected from dementia suffers from the disease, but also, and often at a higher rate, the informal caregivers. Vice versa, the quality of life of those suffering from dementia is significantly influenced by the caregivers' competences and their strategies for resilience.

Study aim and hypothesis

The aim of this study is to evaluate the usability, acceptance, and effect of an app consisting of three modules that provide multidimensional support for informal caregivers of a person with dementia.