Caregiver Information Search Behavior for Alternative Transportation

Coughlin, Joseph F. · 2013 · ROSA P / New England University Transportation Center

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Summary

This report investigates the information search behaviors of adult child caregivers seeking alternative transportation options for elderly parents who have ceased driving. The research was motivated by the growing reliance on family caregivers to maintain the mobility of older adults, a responsibility that extends beyond essential trips to include social activities crucial for mental health. While digital tools have expanded the availability of transportation information, the study aimed to understand how caregivers navigate this landscape, reconcile online data with specific care needs, and develop a cohesive framework for this information-seeking process. The methodology combined a literature review with an online convenience survey. The literature review explored general information-seeking models, identifying a "predatory" or "infovore" metaphor where users actively hunt for and capture relevant data, assuming a high level of motivation and skill. To validate these concepts in the context of caregiving, the researchers conducted an online survey targeting adult children assuming caregiver roles. Although the authors acknowledged potential selection bias inherent in online surveys, they noted that the increasing internet usage among older adults mitigates this concern. The survey sought to identify attitudes and behaviors regarding the search for mobility solutions. The findings indicate that simply providing online information is insufficient for ensuring caregivers access adequate transportation resources. Caregivers typically frame their search around specific trip types, such as medical appointments or grocery shopping. However, when evaluating alternatives, they primarily assess how closely the service resembles the car ride they would personally provide. Crucially, caregivers rarely rely solely on online data; instead, they identify potential options online and then validate them through informal conversations with friends and family regarding reliability, comfort, and safety. The study identified a clear hierarchy of trust: information from friends and family is most trusted, followed by personal experience, with information directly from transportation providers being the least trusted. Furthermore, bus and light rail services were not readily perceived as adequate substitutes for private automobile use. The significance of these findings lies in their implications for alternative transportation providers and policymakers. The study concludes that objective data, such as cost and schedules, are secondary to subjective assessments of comfort and safety derived from social networks. Since every rider is potentially a future caregiver or a trusted information source, the personal experience of using a service becomes a critical filter for adoption. The results suggest that providers must account for the social validation process in their outreach, as online comments and peer recommendations are valued considerations. The work was presented to major gerontology and transportation organizations, highlighting the need for strategies that integrate social trust into the dissemination of transportation information.

Key finding

Caregivers ranked information from friends and family as most trusted when choosing alternative transportation, ahead of personal experience and then transportation-provider information.

Methodology

survey

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• acceptance adoption