Informal caregiving especially for people with dementia, is considered unpaid work. Informal caregivers face difficulties because of the progressive nature of dementia, and the emotional and physical demands of caregiving, coupled with the lack of adequate resources and support systems. Hispanic Americans are one and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other dementias.  Due to health disparities, Hispanic Americans have a lower early detection rate. Compounding this problem is that they have limited access to quality care, and they are underrepresented in research and clinical trials. Further, because 57% of Hispanics believe that significant loss of memory is a normal part of aging, dementia is often dismissed as an impact of getting older, which delays access to treatment, and decreases time for care planning, has a higher cost of care, and negatively affects physical and mental health of cared for and caregiver. Close to half of Hispanic adults with dementia currently live with their adult children. The high number of Latino dementia informal caregivers may be due to cultural expectations and norms that families are the predominant/only support network for Latino individuals with dementia.

Based on the work system analyses methods and tools available in the human factors engineering literature, and based on the recommendations in the health disparities literature, we are developing a multi-layered, culturally informed model of care work performed by informal caregivers of Hispanic adults with dementia.

Tovar, L. C., & Pennathur, A., February 2025. A culturally informed work systems model for informal caregiving for people with dementia: Lessons learned using a human factors lens. ISE Magazine, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, Volume 57, Number 2.