In 2020, DAI hosted a webinar, BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities) family carers coping with caring for Dementia, presented by Mohammed A Rauf MBE
Founder & Director Meri Yaadain CiC. We had overlooked making it live on our YouTube channel, and are pleased to post it today, as part of this blog.
The prevalence of dementia amongst the BAME population may be underestimated due to issues impacting on these communities, including greater stigma, lack of awareness, a mistrust of service providers and the psycho-social factors arising from cultural or faith-based expectations. Understanding the complex nature of family dynamics is a key component of being able to decipher the roles and responsibilities within family care given their circumstantial situation.
Even though national policy has tackled some of this through a drive to encourage earlier diagnosis as well as interventions to support people with dementia, it can be argued that policy directives have failed the BAME population given that inequalities amongst the BAME people with dementia and their carers are still significantly higher for these communities than the White British population.
Exploration of psychosocial as well as religious influences on familism and cultural expectations will enable families to better understand roles and responsibilities whilst enabling policy makers and commissioners to recognise needs before putting into place culturally competent supportive interventions.
The notions of equality versus equity are inevitably linked with access to appropriate information, diagnosis and post-diagnostic services to support South Asian families where they are caring for a relative with dementia.
UK.
Our thanks to Mohammed for this excellent presentation, and we believe, a hearty congratulations on achieving his PhD recently too!
About DAI
Dementia Alliance International (DAI) is a non-profit group of people with dementia from all over the world that seeks to represent, support, and educate others living with the disease, and an organization that works to provide a unified voice of strength, advocacy and support in the fight for individual autonomy and improved quality of life.
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