Abstract
The prevalence of dementia is increasing in Australia. Limited research is available on access to Cognitive Dementia and Memory Services (CDAMS) for people with dementia from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. This study aimed to determine the barriers and enablers to accessing CDAMS for people with dementia and their families of Chinese and Vietnamese backgrounds. Consultations with community members, community workers and health professionals were conducted using the “Cultural Exchange Model” framework. For carers, barriers to accessing services included the complexity of the health system, lack of time, travel required to get to services, language barriers, interpreters and lack of knowledge of services. Similarly, community workers and health professionals identified language, interpreters, and community perceptions as key barriers to service access. Strategies to increase knowledge included providing information via radio, printed material and education in community group settings. The “Cultural Exchange Model” enabled engagement with and modification of the approaches to meet the needs of the targeted CALD communities.
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Acknowledgments
The project team would like to acknowledge the J.O. & J.R. Wicking Trust for providing funds for this research. The project team would like to thank all members of the project advisory group for their guidance, advice and feedback:
• Professor Ed Chiu, St Georges Hospital
• Ms Bich Ha, North Richmond Community Health Service
• Ms Dominique Horne, Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria (AAV)
• Ms Marion Lau, Director, Management Consultants and Technology Services Pty Ltd and former President of the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria
• Dr Sook Meng Lee, Western CDAMS
• Ms Michelle Mew, Western CDAMS
• Ms Trinh Nguyen (April 2010), Western Region Heath Centre
• Ms Jenny Phillips, Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria (AAV)
• Professor Dimity Pond, Professor of General Practice, University Newcastle
• Ms Grace Roberto, Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria (AAV)
• Dr Sam Scherer (Clinical Associate Professor), Eastern CDAMS and Montefiore Homes for the Aged
• Ms Norminda Villanueva, Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria (AAV)
• Ms Anne Vu (till April 2010), Western Region Heath Centre
Thank you also to Ms Chloe Lewis (social work student) for her assistance in the carer consultations. We would also like to thank all the Chinese and Vietnamese participants (community workers, carers and health professionals). Their commitment and time to this project have been greatly appreciated. Appreciation is also extended to Ms Mei Yu and Mr Nelson Yeung from the Chinese Health Foundation for their assistance in organising and recruiting Chinese participants (community workers and carers of people with dementia).
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Haralambous, B., Dow, B., Tinney, J. et al. Help seeking in older Asian people with dementia in Melbourne: Using the Cultural Exchange Model to explore barriers and enablers. J Cross Cult Gerontol 29, 69–86 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-014-9222-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-014-9222-0