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How can we approach dementia care for families living across multiple countries?
Jayashree Dasgupta, Ph.D.
Samvedna Senior Care Pvt. Ltd
Dehli, India
Background
The greatest risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s or other dementia is aging. As the population of adults aged 60 and older continues to rise in India, there is an urgent need to provide dementia care for this growing population.
The Indian culture values familism, a social structure where the needs of the family are more important than the needs of any individual family member. Caring for one’s parents is also highly regarded in Indian culture. However, the social transitions of modern society, such as women entering the workforce and moving away from home for job opportunities, have shifted the responsibility of dementia care from younger family members to other caregivers. Dr. Jayashree Dasgupta and colleagues propose a pilot project to identify the specific dementia care needs of “transnational” families, or families where one or more children live in another country than their parents, living in India.
Research Plan
Dr. Dasgupta and the team will examine the needs of transnational families providing care for a family member in India living with dementia. They will do this by conducting interviews with at least 10 families residing in the United Kingdom who have a family member with dementia residing in India. The researchers will use these interviews to identify challenges and barriers the families face in healthcare decision-making and organizing dementia care across international borders.
Impact
Results from this study may provide new insights into the challenges transnational families experience with dementia care. If successful, it could lead to new programs to meet the needs of individuals supporting family members with dementia who live in another country.
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