Overview

Linda Clare directs the Centre for Research in Ageing and Cognitive Health (REACH),  Linda’s research aims to improve the lives of older people and people who are living with dementia or other age-related neurodegenerative conditions by promoting well-being, preventing or reducing age-related disability, and improving rehabilitation and care. She leads both large observational studies and intervention trials, and is particularly known for pioneering the application of cognitive rehabilitation approaches for people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. She leads the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Dementia and Neurodegeneration (DeNPRU Exeter), in collaboration with colleagues at LSE and the Universities of Bradford, Newcastle and New South Wales. She is chief investigator for the IDEAL cohort study of people with dementia and carers, and leads the Alzheimer’s Society Centre of Excellence related to this programme. She is dementia theme lead for NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South-West Peninsula (PenARC).

Linda completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Cambridge, trained as a clinical psychologist at University College London, and undertook further training in clinical neuropsychology. She gained her PhD while working at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. In 2004 she received the May Davidson award from the British Psychological Society for her contribution to the development of clinical psychology in the UK. Her ScD was awarded by the University of Cambridge in 2015 in recognition of her work on awareness in people with dementia. She is a Chartered Psychologist registered as a practitioner with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Linda was a lecturer on the clinical psychology doctoral programme at University College London from 1999 to 2003. In 2004 she moved to Bangor University where she was awarded a personal chair in 2008. She joined the University of Exeter in 2015.

Linda has published over 300 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. She is a past Editor for the  for the journal Neuropsychological Rehabilitation and the Cochrane Collaboration’s dementia and cognitive improvement group.  She is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and former chair of the British Psychological Society Advisory Group on Dementia. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and the Gerontological Society of America, serves on  the Leadership Committee of the International Research Network on Dementia Prevention and  on the Alzheimer's Disease International Medical and Scientific Advisory Panel, and is an emeritus member of the Global Council on Brain Health. In 2023 she was made a Life Member of the Cochrane Collaboration in recognition of her contribution as editor with the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group.

Broad research specialisms:

Dementia, ageing and cognitive health.

Qualifications

• MA University of Cambridge
• MSc University of London
• PhD Open University
• ScD University of Cambridge
• Fellow of the British Psychological Society
• Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences
• Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America
• Chartered Psychologist
• Clinical Psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council
• Practitioner Full Member of the British Psychological Society Division of Neuropsychology

Career

• Professor of Clinical Psychology of Ageing and Dementia, University of Exeter, since 2015 
• Professor of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Bangor University, and Honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, 2008 - 2015   
• Senior Lecturer, then Reader, in Psychology, University, of Wales Bangor, and Consultant Clinical Psychologist, North-West Wales NHS Trust, 2004 - 2008
• Lecturer in Psychology, University College London, and Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, 1999 - 2003  
• Higher Scientific Officer, Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit Cambridge, and Honorary Clinical Psychologist, Addenbrooke's NHS Trust, 1996 - 1999 
• Clinical Psychologist, Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust, 1995 – 1996
• Clinical Psychologist and Honorary Research Fellow, Northern Birmingham Mental Health NHS Trust, 1994 - 1995      

Links

• IDEAL programme website
• NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South-West Peninsula (PenARC) website
• ENLIVEN project website
• Living with Dementia Toolkit - a resource for people living with dementia
• Research in Ageing and Cognitive Health (REACH) website
• GREAT cognitive rehabilitation website
• The Unfurlings - banners for hope and change
• My Life My Goals - a resource for people living with dementia

Research group links

• Dementia research

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Research

Research interests

• 'Living well' with dementia and cognitive impairment
• Self-management and rehabiitation for people living with dementia and cognitive impairment
• Dementia representations and awareness 
• Improving quality of care in long-term care settings
• Cognitive health and well-being in later life
• Health and social care policy for dementia and neurodegenerative conditions

Research projects

Policy research in dementia and neurodegenerative conditions

From January 2024 this policy research programme will explore key policy questions in dementia and neurodegeneration:

• NIHR Policy Research Unit in Dementia and Neurodegeneration (DeNPRU Exeter). Funded by NIHR, 2024 - 2026 

‘Living well’ with dementia and cognitive impairment

The IDEAL programme

http://www.idealproject.org.uk/

http://theunfurlings.org.uk/

https://livingwithdementiatoolkit.org.uk/

This social science programme, which I lead, focuses on a large cohort study exploring what enables people with dementia and carers to ‘live well’ with the condition. It has developed through two programme grants:

• Improving the experience of dementia and enhancing active life: a longitudinal perspective on living well with dementia (the IDEAL-2 study). Funded by Alzheimer’s Society as a Centre of Excellence, 2018-2022.
• Living well with dementia (the IDEAL study). Funded by ESRC and NIHR, 2014 – 2018.

Linked arts-based projects led to the creation of The Unfurlings, a series of ‘banners for hope and change’, and a one-act opera, The Bridge:

• A Life More Ordinary – an arts-based project for IDEAL. Funded by ESRC, 2015 – 2019.
• Living with dementia: an operatic exploration to promote undestanding and reduce stigma. Funded by the Arts Council of Wales, 2022 - 2023.

Additional funding made it possible to investigate how cohort participants fared during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• IDEAL COVID-19 Dementia Initiative (IDEAL-CDI). Funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, 2019.
• Identifying and mitigating the individual and dyadic impact of COVID-19 and life under physical distancing on people with dementia and carers (INCLUDE). Funded by ESRC, 2019 – 2021.

In an associated project, Dr Cate Henderson at LSE used IDEAL data to investigate:

• Assistive technology and home modifications: outcomes for people living with dementia and their carers, service use patterns and costs, funded by the National School for Social Care Research, 2021 – 2022.

IDEAL also contributed to the DECIDE study led by Dr Penny Wright (Leeds) which focused on developing a quality of life measure for care partners of people with dementia, the SIDECAR scale:

• Dementia Carers Instrument Development: DECIDE, funded by MRC, 2015 – 2018.

ENLIVEN

https://enlivenproject.co.uk/ 

This project, which I lead in collaboration with Associate Professor Joanne Connell in the University of Exeter Business School and Professor Stephen Page at the University of Hertfordshire Business School is one of several social science projects funded under the Healthy Ageing Challenge. It aims to encourage business innovation that enables older people with dementia and cognitive impairment to access and connect with the natural environment:

• Extending active life for older people with cognitive impairment through innovation in the visitor economy of the natural environment (ENLIVEN). Funded by ESRC, 2021 – 2024.

Self-management and rehabilitation

GREAT cognitive rehabilitation

https://sites.google.com/exeter.ac.uk/great-cr/home

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/life-after-dementia-diagnosis-guide-setting-reaching-goals

The GREAT programme focuses on personalised, goal-oriented cognitive rehabilitation (CR) interventions to support everyday functioning and promote activity engagement and social participation for people living with early-stage dementia. Recent work in the UK has involved implementing GREAT CR in NHS services and in a care home setting, developing an e-learning course for practitioners, and co-producing self-management resources for people living with dementia:

• Maintaining independence through goal-oriented cognitive rehabilitation: GREAT into Practice (GREAT-iP), funded by Alzheimer’s Society, 2018 – 2021.

International interest has led to implementation projects in Norway, led by Mona Michelet at the Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Ageing and Health supported by Sue Evans and me, and Ireland, led by Michelle Kelly and Caiomhe Hannigan at the National College of Ireland. Jackie Pool and I are contributing a CR perspective to the JPND-funded ReableDEM project led by Silke Metzelthin at the University of Maastricht.

GREAT CR was developed through two small-scale RCTs and a large multi-centre RCT:

• Functional and anatomical mechanisms underlying the effects of cognitive rehabilitation in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. This was a single-site randomised controlled trial funded by Alzheimer’s Society, 2005 – 2008.
• Cognitive rehabilitation for Parkinson’s disease dementia (CORD-PD). This was a small-scale RCT led by Dr John Hindle and funded by NISCHR, 2014 – 2016.
• Goal-oriented cognitive rehabilitation in early-stage dementia: multi-centre single-blind randomised controlled trial (GREAT). This was a definitive trial, funded by NIHR, 2012 – 2017.

Goal-oriented behaviour change interventions

I have applied similar personalised goal-setting principles to promote lifestyle change through social interaction and activity engagement among older people in the AgeWell trial:

• Behaviour change to promote health and well-being in later life: a goal-setting intervention (AgeWell) was funded by MRC

I collaborated in the INDIGO study led by Professor Nicola Lautenschlager (University of Melbourne) which aimed to encourage physical activity among sedentary individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and am now collaborating on a study of interventions to improve driving skill in older drivers, led by Professor Kaarin Anstey (University of New South Wales):

• Randomised controlled trial of physical activity with individual goal-setting and volunteer mentors to overcome sedentary lifestyle in older adults at risk of cognitive decline (INDIGO), funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, 2013 – 2016.
• Driving better and longer: evidence-based interventions for older drivers, funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, 2019 – 2024.

Self-management interventions

The SMART pilot trial which I co-led with Dr Catherine Quinn showed that participation in a self-management group enhanced self-efficacy among people with early-stage dementia, and building on this I am now collaborating in the multi-centre SHAPE trial led by Professor Ingelin Testad (SESAM, Stavanger):

• Self-management in dementia: a pilot trial of the development, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a self-management group intervention (SMART), funded by NISCHR, 2013 – 2015.
• Self-management and health promotion in early-stage dementia with e-learning for carers: a randomised controlled trial (SHAPE). This is a JPND project, with UK funding provided by Alzheimer’s Society, 2019 – 2023.

I collaborated in a trial of memory management groups for people with mild cognitive impairment led by Professor Glynda Kinsella:

• Early intervention for amnestic mild cognitive impairment: a randomised trial of memory management, funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, 2008 – 2011.

Recovery from delirium superimposed on dementia

I collaborated in the RESERVE-DSD trial testing the effects of cognitively-stimulating activities on recovery from delirium, and am now co-leading the RecoverED trial with Professor Louise Allan

• Development and testing of an intervention to improve recovery after an episode of delirium (RecoverED), funded through an NIHR Programme Grant, 2022 – 2026.
• RESERVE for Delirium Superimposed on Dementia, led by Professor Ann Kolanowski (Penn State), funded by NIH, 2010 – 2015.

Dementia representations and awareness among people with dementia

I have a long-standing interest in how people with dementia make sense of the condition and appraise its impact. I have explored this through several funded studies:

• A comprehensive profile of awareness in early-stage dementia (MIDAS), funded by ESRC, 2007 – 2010.
• Awareness among people with moderate to severe dementia living in residential care homes, funded by ESRC, 2005 – 2006.
• Awareness in early-stage dementia: understanding, assessment and implications for early intervention, funded by the European Commission, 2003 – 2004.

Improving care in long-term residential care settings

The AwareCare study, which I led, focused on developing training for care staff to enhance observational skills and encourage them to detect and respond to indications of awareness in residents with severe dementia who no longer communicated verbally:

• Development of an awareness-based intervention to enhance quality of life in severe dementia (AwareCare), funded by MRC, 2009 – 2011.

I have been a collaborator in two projects led by Professor Clive Ballard involving testing and implementing evidence-based training for care home staff aimed at improving quality of care:

• Evidence-based supported digital intervention for improving well-being and health of people living in care homes (WHELD) during COVID-19, funded by MRC, 2020 – 2022.
• Implementation of evidence-based cost-effective training for care home staff to improve wellbeing and mental health for care home residents with dementia and reduce unnecessary sedative medications: WHELD into practice, funded by the NIHR ARC National Priority Area in Healthy Ageing, Dementia and Frailty, 2021 – 2023.

Cognitive health and well-being in later life

In the BANC study, which I led, we compared Welsh-English bilingual and monolingual English speakers to explore whether being bilingual contributes to cognitive reserve and delays onset of dementia:

• Bilingualism as a protective factor in age-related neurodegenerative disorders (BANC), funded by ESRC, 2010 – 2012.

I collaborated in the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study Wales led by Professor Bob Woods, a more wide-ranging social science study of factors contributing to cognitive health and well-being in later life:

• Maintaining functioning and well-being in later life: a longitudinal cohort study (CFAS-Wales), funded by ESRC, 2010 – 2016.

Infrastructure and capacity building

I am dementia theme lead for the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South-West Peninsula, directed by Professor Stuart Logan (2019 – 2024), and lead the Intervention development for Alzheimer’s clinical training (INTERACT) Alzheimer’s Society Clinical Training Partnership (2018 – 2023). I previously contributed to the Alzheimer’s Society CFAS Doctoral Training Centre led by Professor Carol Brayne (2015 – 2018).

Research grants

• 2023 Alzheimer's Society of Ireland
  Increasing the availability of cognitive rehabilitation for people with dementia in Ireland
• 2023 National Institute for Health and Care Research
  NIHR Policy Research Unit in Dementia and Neurodegeneration (DeNPRU Exeter)
• 2022 DAM Foundation
  Improved coping in dementia – cognitive rehabilitation.
• 2022 Arts Council of Wales
  Living with dementia: an operatic exploration to promote understanding and reduce stigma
• 2021 ESRC
  Extending active life for older people with cognitive impairment through innovation in the visitor economy of the natural environment (ENLIVEN).
• 2021 NIHR Programme Grant
  Development and testing of an intervention to improve recovery after an episode of delirium (RecoverED).
• 2021 NIHR
  Implementation of evidence-based cost-effective training for care home staff to improve wellbeing and mental health for care home residents with dementia and reduce unnecessary sedative medications: WHELD into practice.
• 2020 ESRC
  Identifying and mitigating the individual and dyadic impact of COVID-19 and life under physical distancing on people with dementia and carers (INCLUDE).
• 2020 NIHR
  IDEAL COVID-19 Dementia Initiative (IDEAL-CDI)
• 2020 MRC
  Evidence-based supported digital intervention for improving well-being and health of people living in care homes (WHELD) during COVID-19.
• 2020 NIHR School for Social Care Research
  Assistive technology and home modifications: outcomes for people living with dementia and their carers, service use patterns and costs.
• 2019 NIHR
  NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South-West Peninsula (PenARC).
• 2018 Alzheimers Society
  Clinical Training Partnership
• 2018 Joint Programming in Neurodegenerative Diseases
  Self-management and health promotion in early-stage dementia with e-learning for carers: a randomised controlled trial.
• 2018 Australia NHMRC
  Driving better and longer: evidence-based interventions for older drivers.
• 2018 QUEX Accelerator
  Other ways to connect? The social connectedness of older people and the impact of technology.
• 2017 NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research
  Improving the experience of care for people with dementia in hospital: Synthesis of qualitative and quantitative evidence, development of a logic model and co-production of plans for service change
• 2017 Alzheimers Society
  Improving the experience of dementia and enhancing active life: a longitudinal perspective on living well with dementia (the IDEAL-2 study). Alzheimer's Society Centre of Excellence.
• 2017 Alzheimers Society
  Maintaining independence through goal-oriented cognitive rehabilitation: GREAT into Practice (GREAT-iP).
• 2017 NIHR Faculty
  NIHR Senior Investigator Award
• 2016 Wellcome Trust
  Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health.
• 2016 EPSRC
  Socio-Technical Resilience for Enhancing Targeted Community Healthcare (STRETCH).
• 2015 ESRC
  A Life More Ordinary
• 2015 Australia NHMRC
  Centre for Research Excellence in Promoting Cognitive Health and Preventing Cognitive Decline.
• 2015 Medical Research Council
  HQLC Dementia Carers Instrument Development: DECIDE.
• 2015 Alzheimers Society
  D. Transdisciplinary training for dementia research in CFAS (The Alzheimer’s Society CFAS Doctoral Training Centre).
• 2014 NISCHR
  Cognitive rehabilitation for Parkinson’s disease dementia: a pilot trial (CORD-PD).
• 2013 ESRC-NIHR
  Living well with dementia (the IDEAL study).
• 2013 Australia NHMRC
  Randomised controlled trial of physical activity with individual goal-setting and volunteer mentors to overcome sedentary lifestyle in older adults at risk of cognitive decline (INDIGO).
• 2013 NISCHR
  Self-management in dementia: a pilot trial of the development, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a self-management group intervention. (SMART).
• 2012 NISCHR
  Senior Faculty Award.
• 2011 NIHR HTA
  Goal-oriented cognitive rehabilitation in early-stage dementia: multi-centre single-blind randomised controlled trial (GREAT).
• 2011 Medical Research Council
  Behaviour change to promote health and well-being in later life: a goal-setting intervention (AgeWell).
• 2011 European Regional Development Fund
  Neuroimaging skills in dementia
• 2011 NIHR
  Developing an evidence-based intervention to improve health care for, and prevent avoidable hospital admission of, older care home residents with frailty or dementia.
• 2010 NIH
  RESERVE for Delirium Superimposed on Dementia (RESERVE-DSD)
• 2010 ESRC
  Implications of attachment relationships for the social and emotional well-being of older people, people with dementia, and family caregivers.
• 2010 Welsh Government
  Executive function and everyday ability in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease: implications for intervention. PhD studentship, held by Anthony Martyr.
• 2009 ESRC
  Bilingualism as a protective factor in age-related neurodegenerative disorders (BANC).
• 2009 MRC
  IES Platform - development of an awareness-based intervention to enhance quality of life in severe dementia (AwareCare).
• 2009 ESRC
  Maintaining functioning and well-being in later life: a longitudinal cohort study (CFAS-Wales).
• 2008 Australia NHMRC
  Early Intervention for Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomised Trial of Memory Management.
• 2008 Australia NHMRC
  A randomised clinical trial of cognitive activity for older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (PACE).
• 2007 ESRC
  A comprehensive profile of awareness in early-stage dementia (MIDAS).
• 2006 Welsh Government
  Dementia and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network for Wales.
• 2005 ESRC
  Awareness among people with moderate to severe dementia living in residential care homes.
• 2005 Alzheimers Society
  Functional and anatomical mechanisms underlying the effects of cognitive rehabilitation in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Randomised Controlled Trial.
• 2005 ESRC CASE Studentship
  Motivations, meanings and relationships in family caregiving for people with dementia. PhD studentship held by Catherine Quinn.
• 2003 Wellcome Trust
  Object and action naming and noun/verb comprehension in Alzheimer's disease.
• 2002 European Commission
  Awareness in early-stage dementia: understanding, assessment and implications for early intervention

Links

• ENLIVEN project website
• Living with Dementia Toolkit was co-produced as part of the IDEAL programme

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External Engagement and Impact

Awards

• National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), Senior Investigator 2017 – 2021
• Wales NationaI Institute for Social Care and Health Research, Senior Faculty, 2013 – 2015
• British Psychological Society Division of Clinical Psychology May Davidson Award 2003

Committee/panel activities

Clinical guideline development

• Canadian Consensus Conference CCCDTD5, Psychosocial Interventions Working Group, 2019 – 2020
• NICE Dementia Quality Standards Advisory Committee QS124, 2018 – 2019
• NICE Dementia Guideline Committee CG97, 2016 - 2018

Committees

• NIHR CRN Dementias Portfolio Development Group member, 2015 – present
• British Psychological Society Advisory Group on Dementia, Chair, 2014 -2017
• DeNDRoN Dementia Clinical Studies Group, 2008 – 2015
• NEURODEM Executive Group and Steering Group, 2006 - 2015
• DeNDRoN Primary Care Clinical Studies Group, 2006 – 2009

Funding boards

• Alzheimer’s Society Grants Advisory Board for Care, Services and Public Health, 2013 – 2017
• NISCHR Health Grants Committee, 2012 – 2014

International recognition, such as international research collaborations, visiting research posts in overseas institutions, involvement at senior levels in international research associations, acting as referee for national and international research councils.

• World Health Organisation, Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation, Development Group for Dementia, member 2020 – 2021
• International Research Network on Dementia Prevention, Leadership Committee member, 2017 – present
• Global Council on Brain Health, Vice-Chair of Governing Board, 2015 – 2021
• Global Brain Health Institute, Governing Board member, 2016 – 2018
• US Alzheimer’s Association ISTAART Professional Interest Area in Psychosocial Research, Founding Chair, 2012 – 2013 and Immediate Past Chair, 2013 – 2014

Journal and book series Editorships and Editorial board membership

Neuropsychological Rehabilitation

•  Executive Editor, 2011 - present
•  Editorial Board, 2001 – 2011

Cochrane Collaboration.

•   Editor, Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Group, 2001 – 2021

Gerontology

•    Editorial Board, Behavioural Sciences Section, 2009 – ongoing

Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice

•     Associate Editor, 2007 – 2019

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Supervision / Group

Research Fellows

Postdoctoral researchers

Postgraduate researchers

Research Technicians

Alumni

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Office Hours:

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