A SCOPING REVIEW OF INTERVENTIONS CONDUCTED FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY OLDER ADULTS WITH DEMENTIA

Abstract

The older population in the United States is growing. Within this demographic, ethnic and racial diversity is also on the rise. There are various forms of interventions, such as cognitive activities, regular physical and social activities, the Mediterranean diet, examination on sleep patterns, and other person-centered and emotion-focused interventions to help not only the cognitive health but also the overall quality of life of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD). However, we still lack knowledge on if and how these interventions are effective for patients from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, this study conducted a scoping review to review the psychosocial interventions (i.e., non-pharmacological interventions) that have been conducted with racial and ethnic minority ADRD patients. Using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, this scoping review was conducted following steps: (a) identifying the research question, (b) identifying relevant studies, (c) selecting relevant studies (d) charting the data according to key issues and themes and (e) summarizing and disseminate research findings. The findings indicated that African Americans are twice as likely to decline cognitively compared to other racial or ethnic groups, while religion, friendship, music and aerobic/physical exercises helped to reduce the risk of developing ADRD later in life. This review helped ensure that racial and ethnic minority older adults with ADRD receive care that is culturally acceptable to them.