Beliefs and Values of Puerto Rican Family Caregivers Regarding Dementia: An Integrative Review
Elsie A. Rivera, Pamela C. Spigelmyer, Rick Zoucha, Olga F. JarrínIntroduction
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias affect Latino older adults who are living longer with dementia. Puerto Ricans are the second-largest Hispanic group in the United States, and they differ in language, norms, and values from other cultures. As the number of dementia cases increases, the demand for caregivers will rise.
Method
The integrative review was guided by Whittemore and Knafl's framework and aimed to evaluate and synthesize the existing literature regarding the experience, beliefs, and values of Puerto Rican dementia family caregivers. A comprehensive search of PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, and LILACS databases was performed to examine the literature from 2013 to 2025.
Results
Four key themes emerged: (1) spirituality is essential for caregiving, (2) home is a better place to be, (3) toll of caregiving, and (4) long-established gender roles.
Conclusion
The findings demonstrate the scarcity of Puerto Rican caregiver representation in the literature. Further research is needed to determine Puerto Rican values and beliefs regarding caregiving.