Age well, no regrets — innovative mobile app as working carers’ compass

There are countless firsts into adulthood, from giving housekeeping to renting an apartment, from paying for a family trip to panicking over parents getting old or ill.

Grandma’s passing leaves regret

Grace’s first experience as a carer left her with many regrets. Her grandparents, whom she had lived with since childhood, passed away in recent years, and the family could not be there when grandma breathed her last in the hospital during the pandemic. “It was only later that I learnt about the Discharge Support Programme, and it upsets me that if I’d known, the outcome might have been different.” Back then, she had no idea where to find help, what kind of assistance her family needed, and how the social welfare system works. For carers, it is not just about physical support, but also the mental and financial aspects that come with it.

Technology comes to working carers’ aid

Motivated by her experience, Grace works to help other carers with their challenges. Having previously worked in a social enterprise, she took courses on social enterprise management, conducted market research and interviews in the social welfare sector and with NGOs. To understand the needs of clients, she actively participated in volunteer services before establishing Agewhale, a social enterprise with a vision that everyone can age well. The whale on the logo symbolises longevity and family. Last year, with the Seed Funding from Impact Innovation Lab, she developed a mobile app that targets the needs of working carers, to raise efficiency in searching for resources and implementing care plans, acting as a “compass” that guides them towards the right services.

Matching family needs and services 

Through MakerBay Foundation, Grace studied no-code and created her own mobile app, which integrates various elderly care services and resources for carers, with reviews and sharing functions that allow them to choose suitable services. During the 6-month Incubation Period, 22 users were invited for trials, and one of them has an elderly relative with dementia symptoms. “There are many different tests for dementia, but the waiting time at public hospitals can be two years long, which may cause us to miss the best time for treatment, while facing choice overload in private services. We selected the most fitting test and support for the carer according to the requested schedule, budget and district. In the end, the elder was in good condition, and the carer was relieved.”

Care management between family members 

The app features not only planning and schedule management functions but also online consultation. Users can open accounts for multiple family members on the app, and upload their medical records, referral letters, health parameters, appointments and treatment progress onto it, to get the best solution according to their situation. Users can also invite others to join in for a better evaluation of the caregiving, and division of labour among family members. One-stop management makes it easier for working carers to juggle tasks, saving time and effort for them to spend with their families. Those who are at a loss can also reach Agewhale consultant for professional guidance. Besides, the app will provide updated learning resources and information, such as carer training, mental health support, palliative care, etc., so that preparation can be done in advance.

Not just a one-time carer

On the advantage of the app, Grace mentioned that new functions can be added any time, and she hopes to form a support group in the long run, where users can communicate and share insights into caregiving with each other. “After they are done with caregiving, users can give back to other carers through our platform. We could be a carer more than once in our lifetime. Like me, even though my grandparents passed away, I still have my parents to take care of in the future.” Now that the prototype of the app has been developed, Agewhale plans to step into business for its next phase, helping ex-carers return to work, and extending its support programme for working carers. “Not everyone has the chance to take care of their beloved. We hope every carer can receive sufficient information beforehand, and appropriate support during the process, reducing their stress while enhancing the quality of life for both the elders and carers, so that they will have a positive experience with no regrets.” Grace will continue to seek more support, in the hope of developing AI consultation that offers 24-hour, real-time assistance to carers.