When communicating with people about a dementia diagnosis, it is important to remember that there is great diversity in personal and cultural interpretations of health, aging, and medicine (Clark et al., 2018). Variability in cultural beliefs about dementia and personal values may impact how people choose to access health care and supportive services. Further, cultural differences contribute to ethnic and racial disparities in research and clinical trial participation (Vila-Castelar et al., 2022). Providers who communicate with their patients with a higher level of cultural sensitivity are likely to increase patient and family engagement, improve receptivity to interventions, and better support their patients across care transitions. Increasing cultural competency of care providers has been shown to decrease disparities in outcomes among diverse patient populations (Clark et al., 2018). 

Suggested approaches for providing culturally competent care to people with dementia include (Clark, 2018):


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Build trust. Some minority populations have a history of abuses by the health care system, such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment and forced sterilizations. The first news story about the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment was published in 1972 and the study ended, meaning that many older adults today were young adults when this event entered the national consciousness (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). These and other race-based inequities, including ongoing disparities in outcomes, contribute to perceptions that some populations are offered different standards of care than others. An understanding of the historical misgivings is important for appreciating the perspectives of diverse populations. Providers should seek to develop rapport with all patients and respect their beliefs and concerns. Repeated conversations and developing connections with a trusted third party (e.g., trusted community leaders) can help to bridge these gaps.

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Improve health care access. Racial disparities in access to health care persist in the United States. Unequal access across an older adult’s lifespan may have shaped perceptions of the health care system and their approach to accepting and accessing services.

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Increase cultural competency of staff. People with dementia and their families are more likely to meaningfully engage in their care planning when they feel that their culture and values are understood and respected. Thus, cultural perspectives should be sought and respected through the delivery of care.

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Provide a single point of contact. Having one individual being responsible for following an individual from the time of diagnosis until death supports the development of a trusting a collaborative relationship.

“Increasing cultural competency of care providers has been shown to decrease
disparities in outcomes among diverse patient populations”


The Alzheimer’s Association provides resources that help support people with dementia from various communities, including:

Refer | Approaches to Implement

Overview | The Referral Process | Conduct Regular Follow-up | Culturally Competent Conversations
Communicating about Clinical Trials | Refer References