Perceived needs of African-American caregivers of elders with dementia

To assess the perceived needs of African-American caregivers and their expectations of the health care system, perceived level of success and satisfaction in meeting their needs, and their level of distress, we convened two focus groups at a local church in Oklahoma City, OK to discuss three questions. Responses were qualitatively analyzed for common themes. The groups comprised 13 African-American caregivers of demented elders. All participants completed a demographic form, the Zarit Burden Interview, and the Depression Scale. We found that African-American caregivers are frustrated with health care and service providers. The main differences of this group compared with other caregivers were their perceptions of racism and the absence of an available local support group. This information can serve to guide future studies in developing ways to increase caregiver satisfaction, decrease caregiver stress, and increase patient quality of life for this subgroup of caregivers.