A pilot qualitative study of dementia perceptions of Nigerian migrant caregivers

Introduction: Concomitant with the rate at which the United Kingdom’s population is aging, the increased number of older adults with dementia, and the decrease in relatives who are available to care for these older adults, there has been an exponential rise in the need for healthcare assistants in the workforce. Since the workforce now comprises of a significant number of migrant healthcare workers, some of whom originate from developing countries like Nigeria, it is important to understand some sociocultural factors that may influence the quality of caregiving provided for older adults with dementia in the United Kingdom. Objective: To gain an in-depth understanding of dementia perceptions and experiences of Nigerian migrant formal dementia caregivers. Setting: North East England. Participants: Six Nigerian migrant healthcare workers employed in long-term care facilities (e.g., nursing homes) that have older adults with dementia. Methods: Qualitative descriptive method embedded in symbolic interactionism, following a purposive sampling technique and recruitment to the study was used. Semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis were conducted for data collection and analysis respectively. Results: Cultural specificity, dementia awareness, and empathic witnessing were identified as the three major themes in the findings. The findings suggest that meanings given to dementia symptoms are influenced by sociocultural factors and they may ultimately affect the way people with dementia are cared for. Discussion: Minimal knowledge about dementia consequently results in minimal appreciation or regard for the seriousness and importance of dementia. When people from communities with different meanings of dementia and little knowledge of the condition become caregivers in developed countries, there may potentially be new psychological burdens that originate from the differing contextual significance of dementia and caregiving for persons with dementia. Keywords: Care, Culture, Dementia, Dementia perceptions, Migrant dementia-caregivers, Nigeria, Psychological burden, Qualitative study, United Kingdo