Understanding ethnic perspectives on dementia

A new resource kit developed in Victoria provides information and insights into the ways dementia is viewed among 12 different ethnic communities.

Did you know that in Arabic, the word ‘dementia’ is roughly translated as ‘unravelled’ or ‘lost their mind’?

Or that in Greek, dementia is simply referred to as ‘memory loss’?

A new resource kit looking at perceptions of dementia among different ethnic communities in Victoria outlines these, and many other useful insights.

Put together by Alzheimer’s Australia Vic, the kit is designed to assist aged care staff who are caring for people with dementia from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

The kit was developed in collaboration with community groups from 12 different backgrounds and contains handy information and follow-up contact information for each one.

“Forty-four per cent of Victorians were either born overseas or have at least one parent born overseas, and one in six Victorians with dementia speak a language other than English at home,” said Alzheimer’s Australia Vic’s Multicultural Officer, Natalija Nesvadba.

“Helping Victoria’s large ethnic population to access culturally appropriate dementia care is an important focus for us.”

The ethnic and language groups included in the kit include: Arabic, Croatian, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Polish, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.

For more information about the ways in which Alzheimer’s Australia Vic supports ethnic communities, visit www.alzheimers.org.au or call the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500.

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