Co-design, implementation and evaluation of an at-home dementia rehabilitation program

Current dementia care guidelines advocate for goal-directed rehabilitation interventions that address the functional, physical, emotional, social, and cognitive needs of individuals living with dementia. While several promising models have been trialled in Australia, many are resource-intensive and span 3–4 months, limiting accessibility, particularly for those facing systemic barriers to allied health services such as not having a care partner or no transport. This PhD research aims to co-design and evaluate an at-home rehabilitation intervention tailored for people with dementia living in the community. It will also enable care partner involvement for those who may have a care partner, but not able to commit to longer interventions or where the care partner does not reside with them.
This research will implement a pilot trial of a personalised, multicomponent dementia specific rehabilitation intervention delivered by an allied health assistant across two settings, one public and one private health care setting. The proposed intervention was co-designed by a panel of experts, including people living with dementia and their care partners. A mixed methods process, and outcome evaluation will assess feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness. Importantly, this study will include a comparative review of implementation and service delivery across public and private healthcare settings, highlighting contextual influences on access, equity, and sustainability. Findings from this research will inform service priorities and contribute to the development of scalable, personalised, and rehabilitative approaches to dementia care.