Challenges and opportunities in providing dementia care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in rural and remote areas

Abstract

Dementia rates within Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations are estimated to be three to five times higher than non-Indigenous populations. Geographical and cultural barriers demand creative ways of delivering culturally appropriate effective dementia care. Focus groups and interviews with people ( N = 73) from three Aboriginal Medical Services and communities explored attitudes toward, and experiences of dementia care and services. A thematic analysis highlighted the juxtaposition between biomedical and culturally appropriate models of dementia care. Services at the cultural interface can be adapted to facilitate appropriate dementia care at a local level allowing people to stay on Country, supported by people within one’s own Community.