Mental health services for black and minority ethnic elders in the United Kingdom: a systematic review of innovative practice with service provision and policy implications

Abstract

A model for structuring understanding of the underutilisation of services by BME elders is suggested. The main emphasis in future should be to ensure that learning is shared, disseminated, and applied to the benefit of all communities across the whole of the UK and elsewhere. Person-centred care is beneficial to all service users.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities and Dementia – Where Are We Now?

“…Further work needs to be done on defining cultural competency that achieves a nuanced understanding of the complexity of lives lived out geographically displaced from the culture of origin and involving mixed generational experience of migration and discrimination. This complexity has been highlighted by Jutlla [49] and others [50]. Experience across the NHS following from even such focused national policy initiatives in mental health such as Delivering Race Equality is that cultural competency in service delivery remains a sharp challenge [51].…”

Ethnic disparity in access to the memory assessment service between South Asian and white British older adults in the United Kingdom: A cohort study

“…Whereas higher deprivation is a barrier to dementia services and treatment in other Western countries, data from the United Kingdom are conflicting and not detailing the South Asian minority. Qualitative literature has shown that barriers to timely diagnosis of dementia in older South Asian adults may include language, health beliefs, carers' attitudes, stigma and lack of cross‐cultural adaptation of services …”

Evaluation of a carers' information programme culturally adapted for South Asian families

“…Despite the study limitations, the findings provide support that this culturally adapted information programme had a significant impact on South Asian families, with some evidence suggesting impact was sustained. IPSAF addresses recommendations for practice such as community engagement, ensuring cultural needs are met, and working in partnership with black and minority ethnic organisations (Blakey et al) . The programme has the potential to have a positive impact on South Asian communities at national level, if embedded in care pathways, but also at an international level.…”

“…Because of the increasing evidence suggesting lack of awareness of dementia in minority ethnic communities, there have been a growing number of local initiatives aimed at improving awareness of dementia . Bhattacharyya and Benbow reviewed reports about 13 innovative services for older people from minority ethnic groups in the United Kingdom and made recommendations for practice including reaching out to communities, ensuring appropriate practitioner language skills, working in partnership with local black and minority ethnic organisations and ensuring initiatives are sustainable. The All Party Parliamentary Group's report that “Dementia does not discriminate” presented 7 key recommendations for working with minority ethnic populations with dementia in the UK, including raising awareness of dementia and improving access to services for people with dementia.…”