Addressing Inequities in Dementia Care Through Community-Led Approaches: A Focus on BC’s Chinese Community
Canadians living with dementia – and those who care for them – need more supports that truly enhance their quality of life. For individuals from ethno-racial communities in Canada, accessing these supports can be especially challenging due to systemic inequities, including racism, language barriers, and cultural stigma surrounding dementia.
In this session, Dr. Mariko Sakamoto will share insights from an innovative, nationally led project focused on developing meaningful quality-of-life supports for people living with dementia and their care partners in underserved but equity-deserving communities across Canada, with a focus on Black, Chinese, and South Asian communities.
Dr. Sakamoto’s work centers on BC’s Chinese community, where she has partnered closely with community members to co-create supports grounded in lived experience. Her approach emphasizes respect, cultural relevance, and long-term impact, with the goal of translating research into real-world practice. The session will explore how identity, culture, and personal experience shape what effective and respectful dementia care truly looks like.
Dr. Sakamoto is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at the University of Victoria and a leader in community-based dementia research. She is the founder and director of The Dementia Action Co-Lab, a member of UVic’s CARING Dementia Collaborative, and holds several leadership roles within dementia organizations across BC. Her work bridges research, community voices, and action to improve quality of life for people living with dementia and their families.