Between Denial and Delay: Barriers to Accessing Nonpharmacological Interventions for Seniors With Mild-to-Moderate Dementia in Canada

Dementia is a growing public health concern in Canada, yet timely access to nonpharmacological interventions (NPIs) for persons with dementia (PWDs) remains poorly understood. This critical ethnographic study explored factors influencing access to NPIs among private-dwelling seniors with mild-to-moderate dementia and their family/friend care partners (CPs) in Alberta, Canada. Guided by McLeroy et al.’s Ecological Perspective and Habermas’ Critical Social Theory, we conducted 53 semi-structured interviews with eight PWDs and 21 CPs across 20 families. Reconstructive, thematic analysis revealed 10 interrelated factors across socioecological domains: intrapersonal (denial, acceptance, and perceived benefits), interpersonal (support from CPs, physicians, and case managers), organizational (program acceptability and accessibility), community (stigma), and policy (funding constraints). Findings illuminate how systemic conditions such as market-driven care models and fragmented care pathways intersect with lifeworld dynamics, including stigma and relational coping, to shape families’ navigation of NPIs. While PWDs relied on their CPs for information and coordination of NPIs, CPs encountered significant informational and navigational barriers. Program invisibility, lengthy referrals, and limited capacity compounded inequities, often leaving families to cope in isolation or seek privatized alternatives. Stigma operated subtly yet systematically, reinforcing therapeutic nihilism, evidence-practice gaps, and policy stagnation. These findings highlight the need to reconceptualize two widely used and valued services, adult day programs and companion care, within a rehabilitative, nonpharmacological framework, strengthen anticipatory guidance, and invest in early, equitable care pathways. Addressing system-lifeworld tensions is essential for dementia care that promotes dignity, connection, and quality of life.