Urban Care for Unpaid Caregivers: community' voices in the Care Block program, in Bogotá, Colombia.

Abstract

The Care Blocks of Bogotá, Colombia, are an urban planning program that offers services for low-income unpaid caregivers and their dependents. This study aimed to i) characterize the experiences of unpaid caregivers in the areas of well-being and physical activity levels and the use of public spaces linked to the Care Block; ii) identify caregivers’ perceived built and social environment facilitators and barriers to access and use the Care Block facility; and iii) document the community-led advocacy process to further advance benefits of the Care Block program. The quantitative component included a survey and the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) instrument. The qualitative component used the Our Voice citizen science method augmented with portable virtual reality equipment to engage participants in advocacy for community changes. Participants (N=21; photos and audio recordings=257) had a median age of 53 years (IQR = 40-63) and dedicated a median of 13.5 hours a day to unpaid caregiving. SOPARC evaluation results (108 observed participants) showed that most women (87.13%) engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (e.g., dancing). The caregivers highlighted education, physical activity services, and integration of facilities as facilitators to accessing the Care Block program. Poor quality and lack of sidewalks and roads, limited personal safety, and the risk of pedestrian-vehicle collisions were identified as barriers. Virtual Reality helped promote data visualization and create a compelling opportunity to spark dialogue between participants and stakeholders. This study allowed stakeholders to reflect on an urban initiative facilitating unpaid care work.