Exploring dementia service gaps and barriers in the Australian Capital Territory: a qualitative study.

Background: In recent years, there has been increased recognition of the importance of unmet needs of services for people with dementia regionally and nationally. This study aimed to explore the service gaps described by health and aged care providers in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to inform decisions regarding dementia care services. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 health and aged care service providers, managers, and stakeholders providing dementia services in the ACT in 2022 and 2023. Responses to two open-ended questions regarding the perception of service gaps in the region were examined using content analysis. Results: Six themes were identified across the interviews: (1) concerns with existing dementia care services; (2) concerns with primary care; (3) a lack of dementia-appropriate services; (4) workforce shortages and limited training; (5) funding as a barrier to access and collaboration between services; and (6) lack of understanding of dementia. Several participants felt these issues were not unique to the ACT and indicative of systemic issues common across Australia. Conclusions: The service gaps described in the ACT region indicate a need for improved access to high-quality, coordinated, dementia-specific services with appropriate staffing, potentially reducing pressure on the ACT health system and current and future associated costs. A qualitative study of 29 health and aged care providers in the Australian Capital Territory identified six major gaps in dementia care services: issues with existing care services and primary care, insufficient dementia-specific services, workforce limitations, funding barriers affecting service access and collaboration, and poor understanding of dementia. These challenges were noted as systemic across Australia, highlighting the need for enhanced access to coordinated, well-staffed dementia-specific services to improve healthcare outcomes and reduce system pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]