Comprehensive Understanding of Hispanic Caregivers: Focus on Innovative Methods and Validations

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Alzheimer’s disease-related disorders (ADRD) are late-onset, age-related progressive neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by memory loss and multiple cognitive impairments. Current research indicates that Hispanic Americans are at an increased risk for AD/ADRD and other chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and kidney disease, and given their rapid growth in numbers, this may contribute to a greater incidence of these disorders. This is particularly true for the state of Texas, where Hispanics are the largest group of ethnic minorities. Currently, AD/ADRD patients are taken care by family caregivers, which puts a tremendous burden on family caregivers who are usually older themselves. The management of disease and providing necessary/timely support for patients with AD/ADRD is a challenging task. Family caregivers support these individuals in completing basic physical needs, maintaining a safe living environment, and providing necessary planning for healthcare needs and end-of-life decisions for the remainder of the patient’s lifetime. Family caregivers are mostly over 50 years of age and provide all-day care for individuals with AD/ADRD, while also managing their health. This takes a significant toll on the caregiver’s own physiological, mental, behavioral, and social health, in addition to low economic status. The purpose of our article is to assess the status of Hispanic caregivers. We also focused on effective interventions for family caregivers of persons with AD/ADRD involving both educational and psychotherapeutic components, and a group format further enhances effectiveness. Our article discusses innovative methods and validations to support Hispanic family caregivers in rural West Texas.

Improving Dementia Caregiver Activation With a Brief Communication Module

“…51 Informal caregivers within the Hispanic family system is extended, like our sample profile, persist in having the most unmet communication needs of any caregiver group and have significant unmet needs about understanding the disease, its process, and treatments. 52 Interventions are needed to promote caregiver engagement, communication activation, and inclusion in the patient care effort. 53 The brief online module described here, shown to improve communication knowledge and confidence encouraging caregiver communication activation, would provide dementia caregivers with an online resource accessed via computer or personal device.…”

“…51 Informal caregivers within the Hispanic family system is extended, like our sample profile, persist in having the most unmet communication needs of any caregiver group and have significant unmet needs about understanding the disease, its process, and treatments. 52 Interventions are needed to promote caregiver engagement, communication activation, and inclusion in the patient care effort. 53…”

Support Provided by Caregivers for Community-Dwelling Diabetic Hispanic Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Comorbid Conditions

“…In 2022, Hispanic or Latino minority residents were projected to exceed non-Hispanic white (NHWs) as the majority population in Texas [ 9 ]. According to the United States Census Bureau, NHWs are European Americans, North African Americans, and Middle Eastern Americans.…”

Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias in African Americans: Focus on Caregivers

“…Outside of the Alzheimer’s Association survey study, other research studies have found similar challenges among AA caregivers of AD/ADRD patients ( Table 4 ). Anyone who offers care to someone who requires additional assistance, such as individuals with AD and ADRD, is referred to as the caregiver [ 159 ]. Within any caregiver–patient relationship, there are five main elements of interactions that this relationship provides to AD/ADRD patients, which include: family traditions, emotional connections, family values, a helping network, and expectations of family roles [ 160 ].…”