Informal caregivers, crucial contributors to healthcare, face myriad challenges in supporting individuals with health needs. While IT applications offer promising solutions, some caregivers hesitate to adopt them, favoring traditional communication approaches with healthcare and support providers. This study, conducted in Sweden, presents why caregivers are reluctant to use IT applications. Through a qualitative approach involving group interviews with caregiver association members, four key themes emerged, namely, need for in-person support with grief and stress, need for private support spaces, cognitive impairment, and financial constraints. Understanding these barriers is crucial for developing inclusive caregiving strategies that balance IT-based solutions with in-person assistance, promoting a sustainable caregiving support ecosystem.
Keywords: IT applications; Informal caregiving; caregiver associations; non-use.