of carers, staff and volunteers. It is anticipated
that the evaluation will shed light on the
role of such events in improving the social
networks of and support for carers, including
the involvement of other family members. The
results of the evaluation will build upon extant
knowledge which shows that social events can
enhance quality of life for dementia sufferers
and carers, by evaluating the key elements of
a social program which has been operating
successfully over a number of years.
of Family and Community Services, Ageing,
Disability and Home Care (ADHC).
RN, BN, BHlthSc(Hons), DPh (Candidate),
Research Assistant, School of Nursing &
Midwifery, Flinders University, Australia
Dr Lily Dongxia Xiao
RN MN PhD, Fellow of the College of Nursing
Australia, Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing &
Midwifery, Flinders University, Australia
Dr Anita DeBellis
RN, DipN SACAE, BN (Man), MN, PhD, Senior
Lecturer, School of Nursing & Midwifery,
FlindersUniversity, Australia
Helena Kryazopoulos
Team Leader, Access and Equity Unit,
Alzheimer's Australia SA
of findings of a research project that explored
the barriers Vietnamese family caregivers
experience when utilising dementia care
services in South Australia. Dementia
is a degenerative disease that affected
approximately 250,000 Australians in 2009
with 12.4% of these being from a cultural
and linguistically diverse (CALD) background.
In 2006 there were 210,800 people from a
Vietnamese background living in Australia
with some contributing to 3.4% of the
population in South Australia. An interpretive
phenomenology study utilising the principles
of `Gadamers Hermeneutics' was conducted
in 2011 and aimed to explore the barriers
to health care services experienced by
Vietnamese caregivers of a person with
dementia in South Australia. In depth
interviews were conducted on five family
caregivers and seven paid caregivers of a
person with dementia. Four key themes were
identified: i) Lack of culturally and linguistically
appropriate education on Dementia; ii) Poor
knowledge of service availability; iii) Inability to
apply for care services when in need and;, iv)
Variations in their willingness and unwillingness
to seek help. The findings from this study
can lend valuable insights and information
into the needs of the Vietnamese community
and the challenges they face when trying to
access dementia care services in Australia.
Further studies are required that will assist
enhance an understanding of the Vietnamese
caregivers needs to contribute to an Australian
health system that can cater for the evolving
multicultural community it services and
persons with dementia from Vietnamese
backgrounds.