Exploring the challenges and opportunities of navigating community and healthcare systems among informal caregivers of older adults: Towards communication-oriented care

Despite the integrative role of informal caregivers in navigating community and healthcare systems for older adults, their perspectives and experiences have not been fully examined. This study aimed to fill knowledge gaps related to the challenges of informal caregiving in the context of community and healthcare system navigation (SN). Informed by the Behavioural-Ecological Framework of Healthcare Access and Navigation (BEAN) model, twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with informal caregivers of older adults and analyzed using NVivo 14. Interviews were conducted from February to July 2024 via Zoom or phone. Utilizing a grounded theory approach, gaps in communication with different service providers and the lack of continuity across the care settings were identified as major themes. We use these to revise the BEAN model in particular by incorporating findings elucidating communication-oriented care. We discuss future directions to tackle these issues for better navigation experiences in the community and healthcare system.