Exploring the unmet needs of Latino dementia caregivers: a qualitative study

Over 12% of older Latinos in the United States have Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), facing earlier onset of the disease and severe symptoms compared to non-Hispanic Whites. These disparities in ADRD among Latinos can lead to significant caregiver strain and burden in Latino ADRD caregivers. Notably, Latino ADRD caregivers have poor overall health outcomes and face systemic inequities including limited access to quality dementia care resources that impact their well-being significantly. This qualitative descriptive study aimed to investigate Latino caregivers' unmet needs and challenges in caring for someone with dementia.

Participants were twenty-three Latino ADRD caregivers, most of whom were caring for a parent with ADRD. Caregivers were recruited nationally through online research platforms or locally through community outreach and provider referrals. They completed in-depth semi-structured interviews in English or Spanish. Audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed in Atlas.ti 23 using a thematic content analysis approach.

Four themes were derived from the data analysis as key areas of caregiving needs for Latinos: need to connect socially with others; need for resources to provide care; need to understand dementia and navigating existing resources and future care planning; and need for empathic, culturally congruent healthcare.

Results identify several areas of unmet needs among Latino ADRD caregivers, elucidating nuanced aspects about the challenging experiences of Latino caregivers. Findings highlight potential areas for future research to develop targeted and culturally attuned interventions to improve Latino ADRD caregiver well-being.