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Understanding caregivers' experiences and perspectives on online support: a qualitative study
Qiuxia Li1, Brenda Buckley2,3, Ray Lucey3
1Discipline of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Galway, Ireland.
Aging & Mental Health
|May 8, 2026
Summary
Family caregivers found online support accessible but faced usability challenges. Designing effective online interventions requires balancing digital convenience with the need for emotional connection and support.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Digital Health
- Caregiver Support
Background:
- Family caregivers of individuals with dementia encounter significant emotional, physical, and social challenges.
- Online psychosocial interventions present a potential avenue for support, but their practical implementation and effectiveness for caregivers remain underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore family caregivers' experiences with online psychosocial support.
- To identify facilitators and barriers influencing caregivers' engagement with online interventions.
- To determine key characteristics of effective and meaningful online support for dementia caregivers.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative explorative design incorporating Patient and Public Involvement.
- Data collected through 15 semi-structured interviews and 3 focus groups with 28 caregivers.
- Inductive thematic analysis applied to understand caregiver perspectives.
Main Results:
- Caregivers valued the accessibility and flexibility of online resources.
- Barriers included system complexity, usability issues, and the intensified strain from caregiving demands.
- The interplay of platform usability, caregiver traits, and care needs influenced perceived benefits and drawbacks.
Conclusions:
- Online interventions must reconcile digital convenience with the essential need for emotional presence and meaningful connection.
- Well-designed digital platforms can improve accessibility and equity in support for family caregivers of people with dementia.
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