Abstract
The digitalisation of care involves the integration of technology and digital tools into social care and healthcare services (Hamblin, 2020). The present paper examines the impact of digitalisation of care on unpaid older carers in the UK and explicates the preliminary findings of our research. We employed a focus group that took place in Liverpool, including 13 older, unpaid carers and 1 carers' centre worker. The data were analysed through a constructionist thematic analysis approach. Participants constructed digitalised care as alienating. They delved into interoperability challenges and expressed concerns regarding online safety. Carers raised the financial burdens of caregiving, underscoring the need for increased funding, the necessity of inclusive training and the impact of inadequate policies on disabled individuals' societal participation. Lastly, participants stressed the importance of co-production in research and policy. We discuss these findings within the socio-political context and provide a brief overview of the study's future implications and limitations. Keywords: Care, Unpaid; Older; Carers; Digitalisation; UK
Recommended Citation
Rousaki, Anastasia; Sbaffi, Laura; Zamani, Efpraxia; Hamblin, Kate; and Black, Rachael, "The impact of the digitalisation of care on older, unpaid carers" (2024). UK Academy for Information Systems Conference Proceedings 2024. 16.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ukais2024/16