Social Changes and Informal Support for Family Carers of Patients with Dementia in Hong Kong

This study investigated the extent of family support for informal carers of patients with dementia while Hong Kong Chinese families have been facing various social and economic challenges. It also examined the assistance available to family carers from other informal support networks. In-depth interviews were used to gather the experiences of 18 female carers and collect the views of 20 workers of social service agencies. The study found that family support for informal carers is still relatively strong in Hong Kong, as demonstrated by various forms of assistance offered by family members, including siblings sharing caregiving duties and jointly paying for a domestic helper to provide social care for parents with dementia. Also, neighbors, property security guards, and religious organizations are addressing the daily and emergent needs of carers. Based on the findings, it is suggested that social service agencies need to give siblings advice on how to effectively share the caregiving tasks and provide dementia awareness training for neighbors, workers of religious and community organizations, and security guards of properties. Future research is advised to use a quantitative approach by having a large sample size and including carers who are taking care of family members with various health problems.