Clinical neuropsychologist Matthew Staios, has led trailblazing research in dementia with a focus on misdiagnosis when it comes to the testing of culturally diverse communities for Alzheimer’s and cognitive impairments.

Mr Staios, who works with the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University, has called on Greeks in Australia to support a new fundraiser through AHEPA Victoria to develop culturally specific tests that can more accurately detect dementia and other neurological diseases in older Greek Australians.

His research will benefit the Greek community in Australia not only in the diagnosis of dementia, but also treatment options, and care planning.

“FRONDITHA have been great in supporting me throughout the year,” Mr Staios told Neos Kosmos.

“Donations to this research project will assist with employing research assistants to help with a further collection of data, attendance at international and national research conferences to promote the research and assist in the publication of a clinical book that will be distributed throughout the world, with a range of new tests developed specifically for Greek-speaking older adults.

“The most important part, above and beyond publishing the research, is getting it to mainstream scientific circles, particularly neuropsychology.”

Greek Australian older adults represent a significant number of Australia’s aging culturally diverse community who are at risk of developing brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

“In a sample of 90 healthy participants – where heathy insert older adults between 70 to 85 years of age, living independently out in the community and not exhibiting signs of cognitive impairment like Alzheimer’s or stroke – we are receiving performances by Greeks at the level of somebody with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, which is shocking.”

Currently, the standardised tests used to assess and diagnose brain disorders have been developed for Anglo-Australian, English-speaking groups.

Suitable tests for detecting cognitive changes in Greek Australians do not exist, and may underestimate the cognitive function of culturally diverse populations, which can result in misdiagnosis.

“It’s one thing to have a test there, and another to be culturally competent and know how people are performing and why the are performing this way,” Mr Staios told Neos Kosmos.

“With IQ testing, people often use level of education according to years as an indication of how people should be performing in tests. That’s one of the things we look at.”

Mathew Staios’ research receiving $15,000 for research on dementia and diagnostics for older Greek Australians.

Older generations of Greek immigrants, particularly the ones that were exposed to WWII, have had a particularly unstable education affecting their cognitive test performance when linguistic and cultural differences are not taken into consideration. Mr Staios and his team have had a good snapshot of what that looks like in educationally disadvantaged circles.

“Misdiagnosis can occur as a result of not taking into account culturally diverse communities and their history, and their differences in education.

“I want to focus my attention on these people, because they were the most vulnerable and at risk of being misdiagnosed,” he said.

“We made new tests and used existing tests that were developed for Greeks in Greece. Our model of care has been driven by an ‘Anglosphere’ perspective and the professionals making these calls fall into that.”

“Multiculturalism is being talked about and efforts are being made to implement better practices, however, our healthcare system isn’t equipped to deal with these challenges.”

A similar issue is affecting elderly Greek Americans, he realised during his travels and efforts to set up a multi-site study in cities with large Greek populations in New York and Chicago, in a bid to better understand the experiences of Greek Americans and compare results with Greek Australians, contrasting them with those of Greek nationals.

At the start of the pandemic, Mr Staios presented his research at a conference in Denver, before meeting Greece’s Deputy Head of Mission at the time, Theodoros Bizakis in Washington DC.

The fundraiser will help him continue his research and bring together Hellenes in Australia, America and Greece to tackle the issue as a united community.

After almost three years of Covid-related delays, there is a bigger urgency to diagnose and help treat our elderly.

“During the pandemic we noticed a significant impact on the elderly and especially in people that have been diagnosed with cognitive impairments,” he told Neos Kosmos.

Having been working throughout the pandemic Mr Staios has seen a flow-on effect in patients, aggravated by isolation and loneliness, and limited access to specialised services in hospitals.

“We transitioned from face-to-face, to Telehealth. It wasn’t great for people that needed to be there for physical workouts. The second you start to see change in yourself or someone you love go and see a doctor and try to link in with services. I can’t stress that enough.

“We are social creatures by nature and that level of connectivity and socialising, being close to family is what keeps us afloat. Covid has had a cumulative effect in the way people deal with such challenging situations. It’s been a tough part of history to live through and many of its ripple effects are yet to be seen.”

To donate visit: https://gofund.me/e86b381f