Caregiving for Dementia in Asian Communities: Implications for Practice

Abstract

Dementia can be debilitating not only for the older adult suffering from memory loss and confusion, but for family members as well. Understanding caregiving for ethnic minorities is critical. In Asian communities, addressing dementia and other mental health issues can be compounded by cultural factors such as perceptions of mental health and caregiving. The purpose of this article is to review the literature on the perceptions and knowledge of dementia in Asian communities, discuss the consequences of caregiving, and discuss implications for practice and research.

Keywords:

• Asian-Americans
• dementia
• caregiving
• help seeking
• Pacific Islander Americans