Exploring the Iranian-Canadian Family Experience of Dementia Caregiving: A Phenomenological Study

Presently in Canada, there are approximately 500,000 individuals living with dementia, which is expected to increase to over one million by 2038. With Canada’s minority elderly population growing, the number of Iranian-Canadian older adults living with dementia is expected to rise as well. Family caregivers are a significant source of help among Iranian-Canadians and the provision of informal care by adult children for parents with dementia in the Iranian culture is an expression of love and dedication. This study explored the meaning of the experience of Iranian adult children in Canada caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s disease, the values and attitudes they held in regards to their utilization and expectation from formal and informal care services, and the role of culture in shaping these experiences. A phenomenological study was used to investigate this phenomenon. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were held with four adult child caregivers and rich data were obtained. The research findings focused on the dual reality of dementia caregiving, the importance of fulfilling filial obligations, and the expression of preferences in formal dementia care. Key words: dementia, minority, Iranian-Canadian, family caregiver, informal care, culture, phenomenolog

The Intersection of Child Custody Disputes and Child Protection Investigations: Secondary Data Analysis of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS-2008)

Objectives: Identifying child custody dispute characteristics that are associated with child maltreatment investigations are important for improving child protection services. Our objectives were to explore the characteristics of child custody disputes within the context of child protection investigations and to determine the ways in which child maltreatment investigations involving child custody disputes differ from those investigations that do not involve such disputes. Methods: Data were from the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (collection 2008) from 112 child welfare sites across Canada. Results: Of the estimated 235,842 child maltreatment investigations in Canada in 2008, estimated 29,218 investigations involved child custody dispute cases (12.4%). Approximately 22.7% of child custody dispute investigations involved allegations of neglect, 16.7% involved an allegation of physical abuse 20.3% involved exposure to domestic violence, 9.7% involved emotional maltreatment, and 5.3% involved an allegation of sexual abuse. Implications: Child protection workers must not assume that maltreatment allegations are false or unfounded simply because a custody dispute is also present. More attention is needed to explore ways to engage with families involved in child custody disputes so that they can better cope with the complexities of family breakdown