1. Background

Global Dementia Burden

  • A new dementia diagnosis every 3 seconds (Alzheimer’s Disease International, 2025)

  • Family caregivers in LMICs face extreme challenges: lack of professionals, poor infrastructure

  • Emotional distress, poor quality of life, anxiety, and depression common in caregivers

  • Urgent need for supportive, non-pharmacological family interventions

2. Situation in Pakistan

  • Dementia care is nearly absent in Pakistan, because of the limited resources, lack of trained staff, and weak healthcare system.

  • Dementia is often misunderstood as natural aging or spiritual problem.

  • High stigma, faith-based attribution attached with the illness, and low help-seeking patterns

  • Cultural norms put caregiving pressure solely on families

  • Critical need for awareness, identification of vulnerable groups, and behavioral interventions.

3. About the BQRCT Tool

The BQRCT is different than other tools in that it is focused on the caregiver and is used in the moment when the neuropsychiatric symptoms are occurring to provide real-time support to caregivers.
The BQRCT provides caregivers with a reflective exercise that allows them to respond effectively in the moment.
Caregivers work through 5 steps of the tool to reflect on how they feel and to empathize with the person living with dementia (PLWD).

4. Why Pakistan?

The BQRCT remains untested in a culturally different, low-resource context such as Pakistan.
Its implementation has the potential to inform cross-cultural adaptation for multicultural Canada, while also positioning Pakistan as a relevant test case for broader LMIC adoption.
Additionally, the study builds valuable research capacity in both Pakistan and Ontario.

5. Objective

The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of the BQRCT in Pakistan, and to explore its cross-cultural adaptability for multicultural dementia caregiving.

6. Expected Outcomes

  • Reduced caregiver burden and stigma

  • effective responses during neuropsychiatric episodes

  • Strengthened public understanding of dementia

  • Enhanced research and clinical capacity in Pakistan

7. Collaboration

This study represents a collaborative effort between Baycrest Health Sciences in Canada and the Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL).

Baycrest is internationally recognized for its expertise in aging and brain health and is the original developer of the Baycrest Quick-Response Caregiver Tool™ (BQRCT).

The Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL) brings over two decades of experience in conducting large-scale mental health research across the life course in Pakistan.