Latino family caregivers: "it's what we do-we take care of our own".

OBJECTIVES

To better understand the interplay of culture and family caregiving among Latinos, we explored the perceptions of caregivers of persons living with dementia on how their culture informs the care they provide.

METHODS

This study used a descriptive qualitative design to explore the perceptions of Latino family caregivers of persons living with dementia. A Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach underpinned the study design and execution, with a Latino Caregiver Advisory Council (LCAC) engaged in study design, recruitment, and interpretation. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted via Zoom with Latino family caregivers of persons living with dementia from South Central Texas, in either English or Spanish. The interview guide consisted of questions about participants' perceptions of caregiving and culture. Content analysis was used to analyze the transcripts.

RESULTS

Among 13 caregivers, we identified two overarching themes, "The Influence of Culture on Caregiving" and "Barriers to Care," that together illustrate how cultural values serve as a profound source of both resilience and distress. We identified key subthemes related to the influence of culture (i.e., motivations for providing care, who provides this care, and where it is provided) and barriers to care (i.e., cultural beliefs about dementia, structural barriers to accessing resources, and systemic financial challenges).

DISCUSSION: Our findings indicate that culture can be a source of strength and a source of stress for Latino family caregivers. These results highlight the need for tailored caregiver support intervention programs that recognize the cultural influence shaping how families give and receive care.