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World Alzheimer’s Day Shines Light on Dementia in Afro-Caribbean Communities: Stories, Culture, and
the Call for Culturally Safe Care
the Call for Culturally Safe Care
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Toronto, ON – September 10, 2025 – Growing up in Canada as the child of African immigrants, Ngozi Iroanyah rarely heard conversations about chronic illness or disease in her community. Despite her parents’ impressive academic backgrounds—her father with a PhD and her mother with two bachelor’s degrees—topics like dementia weren’t considered “culturally relevant” or openly discussed at home.
That silence was broken in 2008 when Ngozi’s father was diagnosed with dementia. Suddenly, her family was thrown into an unfamiliar world of medical terms, appointments, and financial decisions. While Ngozi’s career in healthcare gave her access to doctors and specialists, there were still profound gaps—particularly around culturally safe supports.
“My father was my best friend,” Ngozi shares. “Despite the hardships, I would walk this journey with him in a heartbeat. But it shouldn’t have had to be that hard—for him, for us, or for other families.”
Sadly, her experience reflects that of many immigrant and racialized families. Dementia remains a mystery to most, and stigma within cultural communities often compounds the challenges. According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada’s 2024 Landmark Study: The Many Faces of Dementia, prevalence among racialized groups could increase by 183% to over 400% by 2050. That means more families will face dementia without the culturally appropriate care they desperately need.
