Services for Latino Family Dementia Caregivers: Is the Workforce Prepared?

Abstract

The American healthcare system is ill-fitted to meet the needs of the growing population with Alzheimer's and Related Dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers, which disproportionately affects Latinos. This paper describes the caregiving process for Latino patients with ADRD from the perspective of caregivers and service providers to reveal service areas in need of improvement. Ten providers and 24 Latino caregivers were interviewed through the Miami-Dade County Aging Network. Interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Five themes emerged: lack of social service connectivity, case management challenges, unmet mental health needs, language barriers, and the need for alternative service models. Our analysis indicates insufficient training and the need to improve dementia competencies, support strategies, and understanding of cultural nuances among service providers. These findings can help inform the development of a required ADRD provider education curriculum that incorporates cultural competency training to improve the quality and effectiveness of care.

Keywords: Hispanics; dementia; education; health services; training.