Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This article examines referral types and patterns over the first 30 months of a new multicomponent rehabilitation program for people with dementia and care partners, the Sustainable Personalised Intervention for Cognition Care and Engagement (SPICE) program. METHODS: Administrative referral records were analysed from July 2022 to December 2024. RESULTS: The most common referral sources (n = 239) were private geriatricians (n = 84), self-referral (n = 54), public geriatricians (n = 46) and community organisations (n = 30), with fewer referrals from general practitioners (n = 2) and community care providers (n = 2). Referrals from geriatricians increased over time, while those from community organisations and self-referrals remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: The changes in referral pathways suggest evolving awareness of the SPICE program. As multidisciplinary dementia care services expand under the Australian National Dementia Action Plan, further research is needed to understand referral pathways by health professionals across different sectors to enhance awareness and accessibility.