“But Then They Don’t Use the Same Money to Give Us Services”: Attitudes and Perspectives on Dementia Care Community-Based Research in Hispanic Communities

Abstract

Core cultural values, along with commonly held beliefs about dementia, influence the caregiving roles assumed by Hispanic/Latino caregivers. Further, cultural values inform the utilization of available supportive programs and may influence participation in community-based dementia-support interventions. This paper discusses attitudes and perspectives on participating in community-based dementia-support interventions using a focus group methodology of Hispanic/Latino staff (n = 5). Findings from longitudinal focus groups (n = 3) with Hispanic/Latino staff, serving predominantly Hispanic/Latino populations, are presented. Findings highlight the value of research funding to support immediate care-related needs over future-focused research. They also emphasize the importance of culturally appropriate terminology and the centrality of cultural values that align with dementia-support research to effectively engage Hispanic/Latino populations. As supportive interventions for dementia caregivers are developed and implemented in real-world settings, including and aligning with cultural elements (i.e., family-oriented, family relationships) may encourage greater participation of Hispanic/Latino caregivers in research.