A Web-Based Communities of Practice Support System for Caregivers

CareNet is an interactive Web-based system intended to support informal caregivers (ordinary citizens who are engaged in providing residential healthcare to their families and friends). The design of CareNet uses concepts from a number of areas including: Communities of Practice, software engineering, content authoring, and knowledge management to create a supportive environment for the caregiver. The specific objectives of the CareNet project are: (1) To create a highly effective interactive environment that addresses the needs of caregivers to: (1a) obtain information and guidance, (1b) achieve efficient communication with professional healthcare workers with whom they collaborate and with other caregivers from whom they can gain advice, emotional support and solace, (1c) access other information and physical resources that are needed for proper care, and (1d) document their observations, interventions and insights that can in future become a knowledge resource for other caregivers; and (2) To demonstrate the beneficial impact of CareNet on caregivers who collaborate with professional care providers and on their interactions with professional care providers.