ConneCare-Reimagining Chronic Disease Caregiving with AI

ConneCare assistant supporting Hong Kong's overworked caregivers. We provide tools for task management, health monitoring, and community connection to reduce burnout and improve well-being.

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Inspiration

In Hong Kong, mental health challenges are often hidden behind stigma. Many people—especially caregivers—hesitate to seek help, fearing judgment or a lack of understanding. Caregivers, who shoulder the responsibility of supporting loved ones with chronic illnesses, are particularly vulnerable. A 2021 study by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service revealed that the city has over 1 million caregivers—nearly 15% of the population—yet their struggles and rights are often overlooked. On average, caregivers dedicate 62 hours per week to care—almost double a full-time workload—leading to severe physical and emotional strain, with stress levels far exceeding those reported in the UK, US, and mainland China. Nearly 80% struggle to take even a short break.

This reality inspired our project. We believe caregivers are unsung heroes who deserve smarter, more compassionate support. Our AI-powered solution eases administrative burdens, provides timely reminders, promotes mental and physical well-being, and connects caregivers to community resources. By reducing stress and isolation, we give caregivers not only the tools to care for others—but also the space to care for themselves.

What it does

ConneCare is an AI-powered assistant designed to support caregivers of people with chronic diseases. Our app aims to reduce caregiver burden, improve their well-being, and promote a more collaborative care environment. It helps with a variety of tasks, including:

Task Management: Our tools act as a comprehensive digital calendar and reminder system, helping caregivers manage everything from medication schedules and doctors' appointments to specific dietary instructions.

Health Monitoring: It allows caregivers to track both their patients and their own health metrics, such as blood pressure, stress levels, and sleep patterns. And also, our platform provides personalized guidance and alerts if any health parameters are outside the normal range.

Collaborative Care: The platform facilitates task sharing among multiple caregivers, helping to prevent a single person from becoming overwhelmed.

Resource Connection: ConneCare connects caregivers to a network of essential community resources, including NGOs, respite services, and support hotlines. ConneCare even offers features like district-based resource mapping and real-time availability checks for respite beds.

Emotional Support: We will provide mental health check-ins, relaxation exercises, and motivational pop-up messages to recognize their hard work.

How we built it

We built ConneCare using a combination of technologies, leveraging AI to create a truly personalized and supportive experience. The backend is powered by a robust cloud infrastructure that handles data processing and AI model training. We used natural language processing (NLP) to enable voice-based commands, making the app easy to use for caregivers who may have their hands full or have limited literacy. The user interface was developed with a focus on simplicity and accessibility, incorporating features like adjustable font sizes and clear audio guidance. The AI-powered guidance system was built by training models on health data to provide actionable insights and timely alerts based on recorded health parameters.

Challenges we ran into

One of our biggest challenges was addressing the diverse needs of Hong Kong's caregiver population. The HKCSS study showed that caregivers include not only local family members but also foreign domestic helpers. To ensure our app was inclusive, we had to incorporate multilingual support, including English, Cantonese, and Indonesian. We also needed to design the interface to be accessible to users with varying levels of tech-savviness. Additionally, integrating the fragmented information about community resources was a significant hurdle, as there is no single, centralized database for respite services, social work assistance, and other support networks

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are most proud of building a comprehensive tool that directly addresses the critical needs of Hong Kong's caregivers. ConneCare's ability to provide a centralized hub for managing tasks, tracking health, and connecting with community resources is a major achievement. We're particularly proud of our multilingual and voice support features, which make the app accessible to a wider demographic, including foreign domestic helpers who are a key part of the caregiving community. The gamification and peer support features also foster a sense of community and recognition, which is crucial for combating caregiver isolation.

What we learned

We learned that empathy and user-centric design are paramount when building a product for such a vulnerable and underserved community. The data from the HKCSS study was invaluable in shaping our approach, reminding us that we weren't just creating a tech solution but a lifeline for people struggling with immense pressure. We also learned the importance of collaboration, as our app is designed to bring family members and other helpers together to share the caregiving load. The process underscored that technology can be a powerful force for social good, provided it is built with a deep understanding of the human challenges it aims to solve.

What's next for ConneCare

Moving forward, we plan to enhance ConneCare by integrating more advanced AI capabilities, such as predictive analytics for patient health trends and an even more personalized mental health support system. We also want to forge official partnerships with local NGOs and social service organizations to provide real-time booking for respite services directly through the app. Our ultimate goal is to make CARE the go-to platform for all caregivers in Hong Kong, and to continue to advocate for a "caregiver-centric" policy that recognizes their immense contributions to our society.

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