[Diagnosis of dementia in non-western elderly migrants in memory clinics: obstacles and solutions]

Tijdschr Gerontol Geriatr. 2011 Oct;42(5):204-14. doi: 10.1007/s12439-011-0036-z.
[Article in Dutch]

Abstract

In the next decade the number of non-western elderly immigrants will double in the Netherlands. Because of specific risk factors (hypertension, diabetes), the number of elderly immigrants with dementia will probably increase. Memory clinics are not well prepared for these patients, because health professionals lack knowledge about important obstacles in intercultural dementia diagnostics. They should consider language barriers, cultural differences, low level of education and illiteracy, as well as ignorance about dementia, shame and special care expectations of patients and their families. We give recommendations to improve communication, (neuropsychological) testing and counseling in clinical practice.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Culture*
  • Dementia / diagnosis*
  • Educational Status
  • Emigrants and Immigrants / psychology*
  • Ethnicity / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Language
  • Male
  • Minority Groups / psychology
  • Netherlands