title: Family care for immigrants with dementia: The perspectives of female family carers living in The Netherlands.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of dementia is increasing among non-western immigrants. It is known that family care is provided relatively often among immigrant groups. Until now, however, relatively little was known about how relatives of people with dementia in the immigrant communities perceive family care. This study therefore focuses on describing the perspectives of female Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese Creole family carers in the Netherlands about providing family care to a close relative with dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one individual interviews and six focus group interviews (n=28) were held with female Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese Creole family carers who are looking after a close relative with dementia. A qualitative analysis of the interviews has been carried out, supported by the software MaxQda.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Related to their cultural and religious backgrounds, female family carers with Turkish, Moroccan or Surinamese Creole origins see family care as a task that they should carry out with respect and love. They feel that family care is superior to professional care and that it is principally a task for women. If men do have a role in family care, then it generally covers non-physical aspects. Despite the fact that the family carers interviewed listed aspects that make caring for a close relative with dementia difficult, they do say that they get a great deal of satisfaction from providing this care. In Turkish and Moroccan families in particular this type of care leads to more recognition and appreciation of the daughter or daughter-in-law who is giving it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Family carers of Turkish, Moroccan or Surinamese Creole origin derive a great deal of satisfaction from giving family care to a relative with dementia. This fulfilment largely outweighs the burden of care. Professional support or information for these family carers can be improved by also focusing on the positive aspects of providing family care instead of an exclusive focus on reducing the burden.
authors.affiliation: Alzheimer Nederland, Amersfoort, the Netherlands n.wezel@alzheimer-nederland.nl.
authors.forename: Nienke
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Wezel
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+/VUmc Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anneke L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Francke
authors.affiliation: Alzheimer Nederland, Amersfoort, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kayan-Acun
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, the Netherlands; Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Pharos Knowledge and advisory center, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ljm Devillé
authors.affiliation: Pharos Knowledge and advisory center, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nies J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: van Grondelle
authors.affiliation: Alzheimer Nederland, Amersfoort, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marco M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Blom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000451:nursing; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: caregiver perspectives; dementia; family care; immigrants; informal care