We initially aimed to ease caregivers' emotional and cognitive load through direct mental health support. However, research revealed that while emotional strain was significant, addressing it directly through a product posed feasibility and viability challenges.

Through 20 in-depth interviews with family caregivers, volunteers, nurses, and community staff, plus secondary research on Singapore's caregiving landscape, three recurring themes emerged:

• Fragmented Care Coordination
  Essential information e.g. medication schedules, dietary preferences, care instructions was scattered across multiple communication channels like WhatsApp, calls, and texts, making it challenging to maintain accurate records or ensure care continuity.

  “We use whatever we can... notes on our phones, notebooks, or just memory to keep track of things... there’s no one place to keep it altogether.”

  
  

• Uneven Caregiver Burden
  Care responsibilities typically concentrated on a single family member, creating unsustainable mental and physical strain.

  "I handle most of the caregiving because I'm living at home with my parents. My brother does what he can, but he's got his own family responsibilities."

  
  

• Barriers to Family Support
  When family members wanted to help, the lack of centralised information made it difficult to quickly understand care routines, medical needs, or ongoing situations, often discouraging potential support.

  "I want to help, but every time I ask, I need a whole briefing just to understand what's going on. It feels like I'm bothering everyone."

These insights revealed that coordination breakdowns were driving caregiver stress and creating care gaps. Instead of addressing emotional strain directly, we strategically pivoted to tackle coordination challenges, a tangible problem that could indirectly reduce emotional burden.