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Caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or a related dementia is stressful, and this may especially be the case for racial/ethnic minority caregivers. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a pilot intervention for Vietnamese American dementia caregivers. A secondary, exploratory aim was to examine post-intervention effects on AD knowledge and psychosocial outcomes. Of the 87 individuals contacted, 32 met inclusion criteria. Of this number, 14 enrolled in the study with 11 caregivers completing the intervention, and 10 of the 11 completing 3-month follow-up data. Caregivers provided positive feedback on the intervention and had higher scores on AD knowledge and self-efficacy in seeking support services post-intervention, with the effect on self-efficacy maintained at 3-month follow-up. Recruitment for the intervention was difficult; however, once caregivers came to the first session, they were engaged and found the classes informative. Recommendations for a future intervention are discussed.

This study was a cross-sectional investigation of volunteer activity among four distinct Asian ethnic subgroups-Chinese, Filipino, Korean, and Vietnamese-who have immigrated to the United States. Data from the 2011-2012 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) were used with an analytic sample of Chinese (n = 547), Filipino (n = 229), Korean (n = 490), and Vietnamese (n = 546) adults 50 and older. A series of logistic regression models were estimated to examine differences and similarities across the four ethnic groups in volunteer activity. Consistent with previous studies, Asian immigrants with more years of education and those who became U.S. citizens were more likely to participate in volunteering. However, the correlates were not consistent within Asian ethnic subgroups. For example, education was not a significant factor for older Korean immigrants while it was a salient factor among other Asian subgroups. Results showed similarities and differences associated with volunteer participation among diverse ethnic subgroups. The findings underscored the importance of culture-specific information in creating inclusive opportunities for volunteering.

This study sought to address the gaps in the literature on Asian American gerontology with a multiply marginalized group in terms of gender, immigration status, and context. Guided by a multiple case study approach, we sought to explore how social support was experienced by four Vietnamese elderly refugee women residing in different living arrangements (i.e., alone, with spouse, with adult children, or in a multigenerational household). Within-case analyses were conducted to yield descriptive information about each individual. Additionally, three overarching themes emerged across each of the living arrangements: (1) Burden of care-taking, (2) Distinguishing family from nonfamily help, and (3) Ambivalence toward government-sponsored services. Our findings provide a contextualized understanding of social support to explain the inconsistencies that have been found in the literature on Asian American gerontology and family support. The benefits of living alone are described, along with the potential risks of coresidency.

The majority of Vietnamese Australians migrated to Australia as refugees to escape a war and this unique migration background may affect their ability to access and utilize healthcare services in Australia. Inability to utilize dementia services is associated with higher levels of caregiver burden, higher rates of morbidities and mortality and hospitalization. The aim of the study was to explore the perceived challenges of dementia care from Vietnamese family caregivers and Vietnamese care workers. Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics was used to interpret and describe the experiences of the participants. Data were collected from in-depth interviews with six Vietnamese family caregivers and a focus group with Vietnamese care workers using purposive sampling. Participants were recruited from a Vietnamese community care organization in South Australia. Five themes were identified from the data analysis namely: (1) a need for culturally and linguistically appropriate dementia education programs; (2) a willingness and unwillingness to seek help; (3) poor knowledge of health care service availability related to dementia; (4) the effect of language barrier in accessing services; and (5) the main sources of services utilized. The study revealed that Vietnamese family caregivers and Vietnamese care workers held different views on the association of stigma with dementia. Findings also revealed factors that impacted accessing and utilizing dementia services. These findings facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of Vietnamese family caregivers' needs and have implications for developing individualized support for family caregivers and for consumer-directed dementia services in Australia.

The prevalence of dementia is increasing in Australia. Limited research is available on access to Cognitive Dementia and Memory Services (CDAMS) for people with dementia from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. This study aimed to determine the barriers and enablers to accessing CDAMS for people with dementia and their families of Chinese and Vietnamese backgrounds. Consultations with community members, community workers and health professionals were conducted using the "Cultural Exchange Model" framework. For carers, barriers to accessing services included the complexity of the health system, lack of time, travel required to get to services, language barriers, interpreters and lack of knowledge of services. Similarly, community workers and health professionals identified language, interpreters, and community perceptions as key barriers to service access. Strategies to increase knowledge included providing information via radio, printed material and education in community group settings. The "Cultural Exchange Model" enabled engagement with and modification of the approaches to meet the needs of the targeted CALD communities.

This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the differences in physical fitness and subjectively rated physical health of Vietnamese and German older adults in a community dwelling. The Vietnamese sample was a random sample of 96 community-dwelling individuals aged 60 to 80 years; 50 % were women. Education is 0 % less than 5 years, 23.95 % 5 to 9 years, 47.91 % 10 to 12 years, and 28.12 % more than 12 years. The German sample was a random sample of 159 community-dwelling persons aged 59 to 90 years; 79.8 % were women. Education is 1.25 % less than 5 years, 40.25 % 5 to 9 years, 38.84 % 10 to 12 years, and 21.38 % more than 12 years. Senior Fitness Test and Short Form-36 were used as outcome measures. The Vietnamese sample shows significantly higher performance levels in motor abilities, i.e., aerobic fitness, strength, and flexibility. The Vietnamese sample indicates a lower difference in performance levels between age groups than the German sample. No differences in subjectively rated physical health factors were found. The higher performance levels of the Vietnamese sample might reflect a more active lifestyle throughout the life span, especially in socially mediated domains like living arrangements or labor work. Lower performance levels in the studied age groups of the German sample might lead to higher risks of cardiovascular diseases and proneness of falls. A more active lifestyle after retirement could contribute to a healthier, more capable, and more independent individual and collective aging. Subjectively rated health stated is a culturally mitigated domain and therefore might be independent of actual physical fitness levels.

This study described the housing tenure and residential density of elders from the six largest Asian American ethnic groups in the US: Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Asian Indian, and Vietnamese. These groups were compared to non-Hispanic White elders. Based on data from the 2000 US Census of Population, multilevel regression analyses showed that Japanese elders were most like the non-Hispanic White comparison group across the two housing dimensions. Older Vietnamese persons were least likely to own their homes compared to the other Asian American groups, and with the exception of the Japanese elders, all Asian groups were more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to live in crowded residences. In general, considerable heterogeneity in housing characteristics was observed across the six older Asian American ethnic groups, even after controlling for assimilation and housing discrimination indicators.

Safe use of medicines is relevant to all, but especially older people, primarily because they have ageing bodies that require more medicines and are therefore more likely to experience complications, including adverse drug interactions. Australia has a rapidly growing migrant older population composed of people with different beliefs about, and practices using, medicines. This paper presents qualitative findings from interviews and focus groups conducted with older Vietnamese-Australian women living in Sydney, Australia. The findings show how the women's health literacy influenced their medication use and explain the cultural reasons behind their decision to vary medicine use from that prescribed by their western trained doctors. Concern that health professionals do not favour combining western with traditional medicines led some participants to manage their medicines without advice from their doctor. The findings support recommendations to reduce the likelihood of adverse medication outcomes by increasing health professionals' cultural competence, encouraging patients to work with their doctor and report all medications taken, and increasing funding for research into the effects of combining western with traditional medicines.

This study investigated young adults' beliefs about their intra- and intergenerational communications in South Vietnam, North Vietnam, and the U.S.A. Respondents perceived their interactions with older people as simultaneously more problematic (e.g., older people seen as more nonaccommodative) and more pleasing (e.g., older adults seen as more accommodative) than their interactions with other young adults. Young adults also strongly felt more of an obligation to be respectful, and to a lesser degree avoidant, in their communication with older adults than to those in their peer age group. Large-scale linguistic, historical, political, and cultural differences notwithstanding, a similar intergenerational communication profile emerged among the North Vietnamese, South Vietnamese, and American respondents in their reports of their communication with people of different ages. Intergroup, cultural, identity, and modernity issues were invoked to account for these findings.

Using qualitative methods, perceptions of dementia, caregiving, and help-seeking were obtained from three groups of Vietnamese immigrants — adult men, adult women, and youth — and from Vietnamese American professionals working with or studying this cultural group. Vietnamese culture and the history of immigration for Vietnamese Americans help explain and contextualize these perceptions. Of interest to practitioners are: (1) the importance of hierarchy within the family and the community, (2) the low priority of dementia and eldercare in a list of problems facing this group, (3) the variety of Vietnamese words and phrases that can be used to describe symptoms associated with mental illness and dementia, and (4) a willingness to use services. Findings can be used to increase the cultural competence of workers and services for Vietnamese Americans.

This study examines the exchange of services and assistance patterns of Hispanic, Portuguese and Vietnamese elderly with their children. The results indicate that the patterns of assistance vary significantly between groups. Parental expectations and satisfaction also varied. Overall familial interaction patterns and their relation to acculturation and the demands of immigration are discussed.

Level of acculturation and the relationship to functional impairment was examined among a group of Chinese (n = 50) and Vietnamese (n = 50) 45 years and older in San Diego County, California. Prevalence of functional impairment and level of acculturation, one-way analysis of variance and Pearson correlations were utilized to examine differences between ethnicity, gender and age groups, as well as significant relationships between various dimensions of impairment and levels of acculturation. Findings indicated that lack of English language skills and lack of use and exposure to English were associated with social and economic resource impairment, mental and physical health impairment, and ADL impairment, as measured by a modified OARS instrument. Data suggested that the visibility and extensiveness of the Vietnamese community may serve to buffer the negative effects associated with the acculturation process for the Vietnamese.

This study attempts to understand the Vietnamese-Australian grandparenthood and their changing roles and psychological well-being. Using a qualitative approach, thirty-six grandparents participated in four focus group interviews. The findings reveal that Vietnamese grandparents play many important roles such as those of living ancestor, family historian, role model, teacher, mentor, nurturer, crony and mediator although at a reasonably modest level. Through assisting the parents, it creates a vital bridge between grandparents and grandchildren. Grandparents' most important roles are the maintenance of good emotional relationships and support, and the construction of harmony and continuity in their modified extended families. To be able to assume these roles grandparents need to actively explore and accept new values and to adapt values to new cultural context. A successful grandparenthood brings happiness to the family and this in turn positively influences grandparents' life satisfaction and psychological well-being and enhances their quality of life.