Steps to implementation: understanding barriers and enablers for implementing Arts on Prescription at Home for people impacted by dementia.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Arts on Prescription at Home (AoP@Home) involves a professional artist visiting a person with dementia and their informal carer(s) in their own home to engage them in participatory art making. While there is evidence for the use of these programs, more work is needed to facilitate effective implementation. This study explored contextual barriers and enablers to implementation of AoP@Home within a real-world community aged care service.

METHODS: Two remote focus groups were conducted at a community aged care provider in Sydney, Australia. Key stakeholders (n=14) were recruited, representing: people with dementia, informal (family) carers, AoP artists, service referrers, and community service managers. Focus group transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and mapped onto the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Outcomes were reviewed against the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) strategy compilation to inform development of a tailored implementation strategy.

RESULTS: Four overarching themes described the range of barriers and enablers to AoP@Home implementation: (1) "I don't know enough about it" (awareness and engagement within the sector), (2) artists delivering programs, (3) awareness and engagement of people impacted by dementia, (4) practicalities of implementation. All five domains of the CFIR were represented across the four themes. The ERIC compilation provided a list of practical strategies for implementation of AoP@Home.

CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of psychosocial interventions for people living with dementia within a community aged care service is complex and multifactorial. SO WHAT?: Organizations planning implementation should consider conducting their own pre-implementation analysis to identify context-specific strategies.