Living with dementia magazine November 2010

By bringing dementia out into the open and making services more accessible, the Society is starting to meet the needs of people with dementia in South Asian communities in Bradford by Caroline Graty

Dementia Support Worker Rani Shukla and Dementia Adviser Atiq Hassan work for Alzheimer's Society in Bradford. They are making great strides in increasing awareness of dementia and supporting families in the city's South Asian communities.

People from South Asian backgrounds make up over half the population in some parts of Bradford. Until now, the Society has had little contact with the city's Asian people.

Language is one barrier that can prevent people seeking help, as well as the perception that services are not for them. Atiq says,

'Services have traditionally focused on the white community, so people from other communities are less likely to walk through the door.'

In addition, dementia is often not recognised as an illness among South Asian communities. Rani says,

'The main South Asian languages have no word to describe dementia. It can be seen as 'madness' within a family and affect sons' or daughters' marriage chances.'

This stigma means that memory problems are rarely spoken about.

Reaching out

Rani and Atiq are striving to break down these barriers and bring dementia out into the open so that people can access the help they need. They work closely with Meri Yaadain, a service for South Asian people with dementia run by Bradford social services.

A large part of their work involves visiting day centres, community groups and religious centres to talk about memory loss and tackle the stigma that surrounds dementia. By speaking to people in their own languages and offering culturally appropriate information in different formats, they are able to build up trust and understanding.

Slowly but surely, their approach is paying off. Rani says,

'When I started in this role two years ago the Society was in contact with around 15 South Asian families in Bradford - now I have over 300 on my books.'

Worried about her memory, Vidya Devi approached Rani after hearing her give a talk at a Meri Yaadain support group. With Rani's help and support Vidya received a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and is now taking Aricept.

Vidya, who comes from India, explains the importance of being able to speak with Rani in Punjabi, her first language. Vidya says,

'It's about trust - you can hire a translator, but you still think, "Are they saying exactly what I'm saying?" It makes a huge difference to be able to speak in our own language and share stories about home, especially because of my memory problems.'

Reminiscing through landscape

Devising appropriate activities for South Asian people with dementia is another element of the work in Bradford. One example is an innovative trip which used the rugged Yorkshire landscape as a tool for reminiscence.

Atiq says,

'Many of the people with dementia we work with grew up in rural parts of Punjab and Kashmir. There are similarities between those landscapes and the Yorkshire Dales countryside.'

Atiq wondered if the scenery would trigger memories for people with dementia, and this led to an organised visit by a group of people with dementia to the Dales.

Atiq says,

'The scenery of the Dales, with its open countryside, mountains and farms, evoked happy memories. People saw the similarities with the landscape of their youth, which stimulated their minds and encouraged conversations about their childhoods.'

Rangers from the national park gave a guided walk and spoke to the group about the park's geology, plants and wildlife. A shared lunch was an opportunity for the group to socialise, share memories and support one another.

Atiq says,

'We wanted the trip to benefit people on a variety of levels, by promoting exercise and healthy eating and including an educational aspect to stimulate and engage people.'

Feedback from participants showed they gained a sense of well-being from being in the countryside together and sharing memories. One member of the group, Mr Khan, commented,

'It was a special and momentous occasion. It will always be treasured and remembered.'

The work in Bradford is just one aspect of the Society's activities with black and minority ethnic communities in Yorkshire and other parts of the country.

If you have a story about working with different communities, please let us know by emailing Rachael Doeg at rdoeg@alzheimers.org.uk

Translated materials

The Society's Worried about your memory? booklet has been translated into 12 languages and Braille. The booklets are designed to help people understand more about memory loss so that if they are concerned they can seek advice and, if necessary, get treatment and support. The booklets can be downloaded at alzheimers.org.uk/memorybooklet  or you can call Xcalibre on 01628 529249 to order printed copies.