Professor Emma Wolverson, Professor of Ageing and Dementia at the University of West London’s Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory, will deliver the lecture, Reframing Dementia, Distress, and Inpatient Care: From Living Well to Living Fully, on Thursday 14 May 2026.
The lecture will explore how dementia is understood and treated within mental health inpatient settings, during periods of crisis when people living with dementia and their families need the greatest support. Professor Wolverson will draw on examples across her clinical and research career to demonstrate how dementia care can be transformed through more compassionate, evidence-based approaches that focus on dignity, hope and quality of life.
Drawing on her National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded research, Professor Wolverson will discuss the realities faced by people admitted to inpatient mental health wards, environments she describes as often overlooked, highly stigmatised and under-researched. Her work focuses on supporting frontline clinical teams to improve care, safety and wellbeing for some of the most vulnerable people living with dementia.
Professor Wolverson said:
“My research seeks to challenge negative perceptions of dementia by focusing on people’s strengths and supporting the teams who care for them. When a person with dementia experiences a mental health crisis, the impact on both the individual and their family can be profound. Through research and collaboration with clinical teams and families, we can develop more compassionate, evidence-based approaches that improve experiences and outcomes for people living with dementia.”
Alongside her academic role at UWL, Professor Wolverson has spent many years working within the NHS as a Clinical Psychologist specialising in dementia care. Her work focuses on bridging the gap between clinical research and practice to deliver meaningful improvements in care and support.
Professor Katie Featherstone, Executive Director of the Geller Institute of Aging and Memory adds:
“Professor Wolverson is a leader in the field and a role model, this lecture is a great opportunity to showcase our rigorous research within the Geller Institute and its real-world impacts, improving the lives of people affected by dementia and supporting health and social care professionals in delivering high quality evidence-based care.”
The event forms part of UWL’s professorial lecture series, showcasing leading research and expertise from across the University community.
The lecture will begin at 6pm following registration from 5.30pm, with a networking reception following the lecture. Attendance is free, but advance booking is required.
