Identifying cultural risks and resilience in dementia care in urban Aboriginal communities

Background: Health from an Aboriginal perspective incorporates a whole-of-life outlook that not only focuses on the social, emotional, and cultural well-being of the individual but of the entire community. We know that family structure in Aboriginal culture holds ultimate respect and honor, with the strong relationship between family and kinship being the center of Aboriginal well-being. However, little is known about the psychosocial aspects of Aboriginal aging in comparison to non-Aboriginal populations, in which there is immense Australian and international literature on aging encompassing medical, biologic, sociologic, and psychological domains. In addition, the prevalence of psychosocial problems/stressors is not known. The aim of the study was to examine a range of positive and negative psychosocial factors in older urban-dwelling Indigenous people and to assess the impact on daily functioning.