Using poetry as data to explore daily and formal care decision making within African American dementia dyads.

Only five dyads participated, so the patterns cannot be generalized to all African American dementia dyads. Fifteen dyads were approached; one was ineligible, four refused, one was lost after eligibility, and three were lost before screening, so participants may differ from those who did not take part. All persons living with dementia were women, and there was only one male care partner. The sample came from the Pacific Northwest, so regional differences may limit transfer to other areas. Each dyad had a unique decision-making matrix, and the study cannot show whether these patterns hold in larger, more varied samples. The study is qualitative and exploratory, so it describes decision-making patterns rather than testing whether involving the person living with dementia improves outcomes.

The authors reported no competing interests.

Do not conclude that African American persons living with dementia always make final formal-care decisions. The final formal-care decision maker varied across the five dyads, and the study was too small to support broad claims.