Asian American Occupational Therapy Practitioners' Perspectives on Supporting the Mental Health of Asian American Caregivers for Older Adults

Objective: Asian American (AA) caregivers have unique cultural values that influence their mental health during caregiving. Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) are positioned to serve this population because of their holistic lens and their relationship with care recipients and caregivers. The objective of this study was to examine AA OTPs' perspectives on barriers, facilitators, and interventions to support the mental health of AA caregivers in older adults with chronic conditions.Design: This study used a qualitative phenomenological design. Data were collected through virtual interviews (n = 10) and focus groups (n = 2) and analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: Twelve AA OTPs (n = 12) participated in this study, all were occupational therapists (n = 12); most were female (n = 10) and had a Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree (n = 9). Two domains were found during this study: (1) barriers and facilitators to support the mental health of AA caregivers and (2) OTP strategies to support the mental health of AA caregivers. Barriers and facilitators include AA cultural beliefs, provider identity, and access. OTPs can support this population by utilizing their soft skills, assessment and clinical reasoning skills and through interventions, including caregiver education and social support.Conclusion: This study addressed the literature gap on supporting AA caregivers' mental health through an OTP perspective. OTPs can enhance support by understanding AA culture, examining biases, and refining strategies for caregivers' mental health. Healthcare providers can prioritize caregiver support, boost AA representation in healthcare, improve service accessibility, and involve OTPs in caregivers' mental health support.