TAILORING EPIC, A GROUP-BASED SHARE INTERVENTION, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SPANISH SPEAKERS

Abstract

This presentation provides insights on tailoring EPIC’s outreach, assessment, and intervention activities for Spanish Speaking Latinos. EPIC (a group-based intervention protocol derived from SHARE) is designed to reduce stress and enhance well-being of people with early-stage dementia and their care partners. Steps in tailoring included: ongoing community advisory board feedback; conceptual translation of all project material; and incorporation of suggestions from six focus groups with 51 Latino family caregivers, professionals, and direct care staff. Participants regarded the project’s revised care values and preferences as critically important for Latino families (“excellent visual aids”; “concepts are simple to understand and manage”; “very useful”, “these activities would help to have a conversation and come to agreement”). Feedback also helped to expand Latino outreach efforts by choosing less threatening language to describe dementia, speaking at existing community health classes, conducting Concerned about Changes in Your Memory? forums, and using social media across the generations.