Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-19-2025
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: In Sub-Saharan Africa, most people with dementia are cared for in the home setting (dementia self-care) with hardly any support from the formal health and social care system. The study explored family caregivers' perceptions of quality of dementia self-care. METHODS: A descriptive-exploratory qualitative study design was used. Data were collected through four focus group discussions with 48 family caregivers of older people with dementia, recruited from four villages of the Wakiso district in Uganda. RESULTS: Five themes emerged: (1) patience and understanding; (2) maintaining hygiene and cleanliness; (3) constant supervision and safety precautions; (4) personalized care by understanding individual preferences, daily routines, and personal space; (5) respect and dignity. DISCUSSION: Family caregivers’ perceptions of quality of dementia self-care are generally positive, encompassing elements of person-centered care. Caregiver messages should be strengthened by incorporating support with instrumental activities of daily living and how to avoid harmful or potentially harmful caregiver behaviors. Highlights: Family caregivers’ perceptions of dementia self-care are critical, especially in contexts in which knowledge is limited, and myths, misconceptions, and stigma prevail. Caregivers’ views emphasize the importance of valuing care recipients, understanding their preferences, and tailoring care accordingly. These perceptions prioritize ensuring safety and supporting basic daily activities, with minimal attention to instrumental activities. Caregivers hardly reflected on their behaviors that could potentially harm the care recipients.
Language
English
Publication Title
Alzheimer's and Dementia
Grant
D43NS 118560
Rights
©2025 The Author(s). This is an Open Access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Buwembo DR, Kiguli J, Nakasujja N, et al. Family caregivers’ perceptions of quality of dementia self-care in Wakiso district, Uganda. Alzheimer's Dement. 2025;21:e70510. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70510
Manuscript Version
Final Publisher Version