Cultural Adaption in Health Care Communication: Tailoring Dementia Palliative Care Research to Better Engage Hispanic/Latino Patients and Caregivers

Hispanic/Latino individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers experience disparities in access to dementia-focused palliative care and remain underrepresented in clinical research. Language barriers, limited familiarity with palliative care, and differences in how care is understood and communicated can contribute to these disparities.

The Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias–Palliative Care (ADRD-PC) program provides dementia-specific palliative care, caregiver education and resources, and transitional care support. To improve engagement of Hispanic/Latino patients and caregivers. Hispanic/Latino caregiving advisors helped guide adaptations, including culturally and linguistically tailored materials, bilingual and bicultural staffing, intentional word choice, and communication approaches that center family involvement and culturally relevant decision-making.