Māori are 8.5 and 3.3 years younger than Pākehā and Pasifika, respectively when they are diagnosed. Māori understandings of mate wareware differ from the main Western conceptions of dementia. Whānau are generally inclusive of their whānau member’s changes in their daily functioning and new emerging behaviours. Whānau are crucial for the care of a kaumātua (older person) with mate wareware, so they need to be included in treatment discussions and decisions, along with the person with mate wareware.
Te oranga wairua (spiritual wellbeing) has been identified as central to Māori thinking about health, and effective care for someone with mate wareware must, therefore, include cultural practices to strengthen wairua of the whole whānau.
Read more: Dudley M, Menzies O, Elder H, Nathan L, Garrett N, Wilson D. Mate wareware – understanding ‘dementia’ from a Māori perspective(external link) NZ Med J. 2019;132(1503):66-74
Listen: Dementia in Māori – optimising care(external link) Goodfellow Unit, NZ, 2020
Mate wareware website(external link)
Understanding dementia from a Māori perspective.
Goodfellow Unit
This resource(external link) provides information and tools around communicating with Māori patients and their whānau, as well as information around diagnosing dementia and long term care of dementia patients – all of which will make it easier for you to support and care for your patients and their whānau.