"The Dementia Diva Strikes Again!": A Thematic Analysis of How Informal Carers of Persons with Dementia Use TikTok

Abstract

Informal carers of persons with dementia often resort to social media to alleviate their sense of social isolation and cultivate their platform to share their experience in care. The present study performed a preliminary analysis on how TikTok creators share their personal experience caring for a loved one with dementia through content shared under the hashtag #dementiacaregiver. We performed a systemic review and inductive thematic analysis of 447 TikTok posts. The content under #dementiacaregiver was interpreted to form five primary themes: (1) realities of caregiving, (2) a little levity, (3) advice for caring, (4) engagement with viewers, and (5) sensory stimulation. TikTok seems to have provided carers with a tool for artistic and social expression that fostered a sense of community and a place for remote belonging.