Intercultural Dementia Care Guide by the NHS
The aim of this guide is to help you, as a health and social care worker, to provide dementia care, which corresponds to the needs and wishes of people from a wide range of ethnic groups, especially minority ethnic groups.
Many people came to Europe in the 1950s to the 1980s to work and are now reaching an age when the risk of developing dementia is higher. Some minority ethnic communities tend to have higher levels of diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. This puts them at a higher risk of developing dementia.
It is still unknown how many people from different ethnic groups in Europe have dementia. Settlement patterns have changed between generations. Many first-generation migrants lived together because of safety in numbers, whereas the next generations have moved towards nuclear families. This also includes a move out of inner cities to more suburban and rural areas. Research and various surveys have shown that people with dementia and their relatives from minority ethnic groups do not use healthcare services, such as daycare, home care and respite care to the same extent as others. When trying to provide good quality dementia care to people from all ethnic groups, you may be faced with challenges, such as:
how to reach people with dementia and carers who need support and care,
how to understand people’s needs and wishes in the light of different values and traditions,
how to establish trust,
how to tackle racism and discrimination (especially within the healthcare system),
how to provide person-centred care,
how to overcome barriers linked to language and education,
how to adapt care and support to religious beliefs and cultural traditions.
Alzheimer Europe has worked with NHS England to develop this version specifically for health and care staff in England. The content has been updated to be relevant for this audience. Insight from focus groups held in England with people from ethnic minority communities and from the national NHS England Dementia team has helped to shape this guide.
You can download the guide here.