People with dementia have a human right to equal access to quality care. Despite this many people living with dementia lack access to evidence-based rehabilitation for promoting function and quality of life. The aims of this study were to 1) explore barriers to access to dementia rehabilitation; and 2) identify solutions which improve access to rehabilitation.

People living with dementia and care partners (n=13) and health professionals (n=13) were invited to participate. Experience based co-design across three workshops was used to understand barriers and solutions to improving access to rehabilitation treatments. Levesque Access to Health Care Framework was applied to findings regarding barriers and to assist selection of solutions.

There was high attendance (92.3%) across the three workshops. Barriers were identified at a person-level (including lack of knowledge, care navigation, transport, and cost) and health service-level (including health professional low knowledge and stigma, inequitable funding models and non-existent or fragmented services). Solutions focused on resources to ensure that people with dementia and their care partners know about rehabilitation therapies, care navigators, dementia rehabilitation education for GPs, allied health professionals and case managers, and local referral pathways. Changes to Commonwealth aged care and Medicare funding models and specific dementia rehabilitation programs were also recommended.

Conclusion: Barriers to accessing rehabilitation for people with dementia exist at multiple levels and will require a whole community and systems approach to ensure change.