Dementia and Cognitive Impairment in the Farming Community. A Preliminary Qualitative Study of Carers' Perceptions of Risks and Barriers to Care

OBJECTIVE: To explore the risks and barriers to care of informal carers of farmers living on-farm with dementia and cognitive impairment. METHODS: Seven individual semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted between June and July 2025. Purposive sampling included carers to discuss their perceptions of caring for people with dementia living on farms. DESIGN: Qualitative study, grounded theory with iterative thematic analysis. SETTING: Rural Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Informal carers. MAIN OUTCOMES: Risks and barriers to care. RESULTS: Six themes were noted in the interviews: (1) Geographic isolation; (2) Physical hazards and farm responsibilities; (3) Interpersonal relationship conflict; (4) Inadequate government support; (5) Lack of local healthcare resourcing; and (6) Positive aspects of the farm environment. Participants discussed strategies for care, such as enlisting additional familial support. Some of these themes were unique to the farm context. CONCLUSION: Carers of farmers with dementia highlighted a combination of risks and barriers to care that often interact synergistically with each other, leading to unmet needs for care. Carers highlighted a need for tailored solutions to care in the unique farm context. Integrating the farm environment with accessible assistance off farm appeared to be a strong desire among carers.