Dr Emma Wolverson is wearing a colourful striped top, glasses and has shoulder-length brown hair.

Dr Emma Wolverson

Professor of Ageing and Dementia
The Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory (GIAM)
Emma.wolverson@uwl.ac.uk

Professor Emma Wolverson is a Professor of Ageing and Dementia, renowned for her extensive work in the field of dementia care. With a career spanning many years in the NHS as a Clinical Psychologist, Emma has dedicated herself to supporting people with dementia and their families within mental health services.

In addition to her academic responsibilities, she is the Research Lead for Dementia UK, a charity committed to improving the lives of those affected by dementia.

Emma’s research is centred on critical moments when individuals with dementia and their families require the most support, such as during mental health crises and at the end of life. As a clinical academic, her goal is to bridge the gap between clinical practice and research, ensuring that her findings translate into tangible benefits for people with dementia and their caregivers.

Emma’s work is characterised by a deep commitment to enhancing the quality of life for people with dementia, advocating for better mental health services, and fostering a compassionate approach to care.

  • Qualifications

    • Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (ClinPsyD), University of Hull. (2008). Thesis: Positive experiences of older people living with dementia
    • BSc (Hons) 1st Class with distinction - Psychology with Clinical Psychology, University of Hull (2005).
    • Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) (2019) 

  • Awards

    May 2018 - Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Research Leaders Award: Outstanding Early Career Contribution to Dementia Research

  • Memberships

    Registered member of the Health Professions Council
    Chartered member of The British Psychological Society
    Full member of the Division of Clinical Psychology [DCP]
    Member of the Faculty for the Psychology of Older People (FPOP)

Research

  • Research and publications

    Leadership roles

    • European Task Force Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care in Dementia for the multi-disciplinary international research group INTERDEM (2023-present). 
    • Peer reviewer for the World Health Organization (WHO) Global dementia observatory knowledge exchange platform (2019 – present). 
    • Board Member of the Quality Network for Older Adults Mental Health Services, Royal College of Psychiatrists (2022-present).  
    • Editorial Board Member Dementia: International Journal of Social Research and Practice (2023-present).

    Grants 

    • 2024 – 2028 EMPOWER Dementia Plus Network. ESRC.  
    • 2025-2028 Family Interventions in Mental Health Environments (FIND ME). NIHR HS&DR.  
    • 2023-2024 MELODIC: Music therapy Embedded in the Life of Inpatient Dementia Care. NIHR RfPB.  
    • 2022-2027 Social Prescribing for people to Live Enjoyably with Dementia/memory problems In Daily life (SPLENDID). NHIR programme grant for applied research.  
    • 2022-2024 Post-Diagnostic Dementia Support within the ReCOVERY College Model: A Realist Evaluation (DiSCOVERY). NIHR HS & DR.  
    • 2022-2024 The Cognitive Daisy (COG-D) for improving care of residents with dementia in care homes: A feasibility RCT. NIHR RfPB.  
    • 2019-2023 “Let’s have fun learning from each other”: Empowering people living with dementia to take the lead through person-led, creative engagement.The Ideas Fund (Wellcome/British Sciences Association).  
    • 2015-2018 CAREGIVERSPRO-MMD. Horizon 2020.  

    Publications

    • de Wolf-Linder, S., Kramer, I., Hersperger, M., Schubert, M., Bächi, S., Stolz, M., Wolverson, E. and Ramsenthaler, C. (2024). Meaningful patient and public engagement in dissemination—embedding co-production in dementia research. Frontiers in Dementia, 3, p.1426019.  
    • Thompson, N., Hsu, M.H., Odell-Miller, H., Underwood, B.R. and Wolverson, E. (2024). Characteristics, outcomes, facilitators and barriers for psychosocial interventions on inpatient mental health dementia wards: a systematic review. BMC geriatrics, 24(1), p.364. 
    • London, S.R., Chen, S., Sidhom, E., Lewis, J.R., Wolverson, E., Cardinal, R.N., Roalf, D., Mueller, C. and Underwood, B.R. (2024). Predicting patients with dementia most at risk of needing psychiatric in-patient or enhanced community care using routinely collected clinical data: retrospective multi-site cohort study. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 224(6), pp.221-229.  
    • Pepper, A., Wolverson, E. and Harrison-Dening, K. (2024). Factors Affecting Research Participation Among Specialist Dementia Nurses. Nursing Research, 73(4), pp.320-327.  
    • Wolverson, E., Pepper, A. and Dening, K.H., (2024). Stakeholder Consultation to Establish Research Priorities for Specialist Dementia Nursing in the United Kingdom. Health Expectations, 27(5), p.e14165.  
    • Crowther, G., Dunning, R., Russell, G., Wolverson, E. and Underwood, B.R., (2024). Dementia in-patient units in psychiatric hospitals: research priority setting. BJPsych Bulletin, pp.1-7. 
    • Baggaley, J., Wolverson, E. and Clarke, C. (2024). Self-report instruments measuring aspects of self for people living with dementia: A systematic literature review of psychosocial interventions. Dementia, 23(4), pp.669-702.  
    • Jackman, V., Wolverson, E., Clarke, C. and Quinn, C. (2024). A participatory approach to understand what might be most meaningful to people living with dementia in a positive psychology intervention. Aging & Mental Health, 28(8), pp.1090-1099.  
    • Dunn, R., Wolverson, E. and Hilton, A. (2024). Exploring the interplay between dementia, multiple health conditions and couplehood: A qualitative evidence review and meta-ethnography. Dementia, 23(1), pp.41-68.  
    • Wolverson, E., Appleyard, S., Stirland, S. and Gower, Z. (2023). The palliative care symptoms of people with dementia on admission to a mental health ward. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry [Internet], 38(9).
    • Wolverson, E., Hague, L., West, J., Teague, B., Fox, C., Birt, L., Mills, R., Rhodes, T., Sams, K. and Moniz-Cook, E. (2024). Building an initial understanding of UK Recovery College dementia courses: a national survey of Recovery College and memory services staff. Working with Older People, 28(2), pp.108-119. 
    • Quinn, C., Wolverson, E. & Mountain, G. (2023). Editorial: Innovations in dementia and ageing care. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences. 26;4:119. 
    • Wolverson, E., Harrison Dening, K., Gower, Z., Brown, P., Cox, J., McGrath, V., Pepper, A. and Prichard, J., 2023. What are the information needs of people with dementia and their family caregivers when they are admitted to a mental health ward and do current ward patient information leaflets meet their needs? Health Expectations, 26:1227–1235.
    • Pollux, P.M., Surr, C., Cohen, J., Huang, C., Wolverson, E., Mountain, P., Turner, R., Hawkesford-Webb, E., Winter, B. and Hudson, J.M., 2023. The Cognitive Daisy (COG-D) for improving care for residents with dementia in care homes: protocol of a feasibility RCT. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 9(1), pp.1-13.
    • Wolverson, E., Dening, K.H., Dunning, R., Crowther, G., Russell, G. and Underwood, B.R., 2023. Family experiences of inpatient mental health care for people with dementia. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1093894. 
    • Amponsem, S., Wolverson, E. and Clarke, C. (2022). The meaning and experience of hope by people living with dementia as expressed through poetry. Dementia, 22, 1, 125-143. 
    • White, C., Whitfield, C., Wolverson, E. and Wray, J. (2022). Caring from a distance: carers’ experiences of keeping in touch with care home residents during COVID-19 closures. International Journal of Care and Caring, 1(aop), pp.1-23.
    • Woods, C., Wolverson, E. and Glover, L. (2022). Extending understanding of ‘care’ as an embodied phenomenon: Alexander Technique teacher perspectives on restoring carers to themselves. International Journal of Care and Caring, pp.1-17.
    • Glover, L., Wolverson, E. & Woods, C. (2022). “I am teaching them, they are teaching me”: Experiences of teaching Alexander Technique to people with dementia. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 56, 102200. 
    • Dunn, R., Clayton, E., Wolverson, E. and Hilton, A. (2022). Conceptualising comorbidity and multimorbidity in dementia: A scoping review and syndemic framework. Journal of multimorbidity and comorbidity, 12, p.26335565221128432. 
    • de Wolf-Linder, S., Reisinger, M., Gohles, E., Wolverson, E., Schubert, M., & Murtagh, F. E. (2022). Are nurses needs assessment methods robust enough to recognise palliative care needs in people with dementia? A scoping review. BMC nursing, 21(1), 1-28.
    • Bennett, J., Wolverson, E., & Price, E. (2022). Me, myself, and nature: living with dementia and connecting with the natural world–more than a breath of fresh air? A literature review. Dementia, 21(7), 2351-2376.
    • Smith, S., Wolverson, E., & Mountain, G. (2022). What is intended by the term ‘participation’ and what does it mean to people living with dementia? A conceptual overview and directions for future research. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 3.
    • Wolverson, E., Dunning, R., Crowther, G., Russell, G. and Underwood, B.R. (2022). The Characteristics and Outcomes of People with Dementia in Inpatient Mental Health Care: A Review. Clinical Gerontologist, pp.1-20. 
    • Dunn, R., Clayton, E., Wolverson, E. & Hilton, A. (2022). Conceptualising comorbidity and multimorbidity in dementia: A scoping review and syndemic framework. Journal of Multimorbidity and Comorbidity, 12, 1–18.
    • Wolverson, E., Glover, L & Clappison, J. (2022). Self-care for Family Carers: Can the Alexander Technique help? Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 46, 101546.  
    • Wolverson, E., Dunn, R., Moniz-Cook, E. and Dunning, R. (2022). What do family carers think of the language used to describe changes in behaviour in dementia? Age and Ageing, 51, 1-8.  
    • Edmans, B.G., Wolverson, E., Dunning, R., Russell, G., Crowther, G., and Underwood, B.R. (2021). Inpatient psychiatric care for patients with dementia at four sites in the United Kingdom. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 37,2.   
    • Wolverson, E., White, C., Dunn, R., Cunnah, K., Howe, D., Paulson, K., Platt, R. and Thorpe, J. (2021). The use of a bespoke website developed for people with dementia and carers: Users’ experiences, perceptions and support needs. Dementia 21(1), 94-113.  
    • Cunnah, K., Howe, D., Thorpe, J., Dunn, R., Platt, R., White, C., ... & Wolverson, E. (2021). Training people with dementia/cognitive impairment and their carers in the use of web-based supportive technologies (Innovative practice). Dementia 20(2), 796–806.  
    • Pearson, M., Clarke, C. and Wolverson, E. (2021) The meaning and experience of gratitude for people living with dementia. Dementia, 21(1), 335–352.  
    • Wolverson, E., Dunn, R., Moniz-Cook, E., Gove, D. and Diaz-Ponce, A. (2021). The language of behaviour changes in dementia: A mixed methods survey exploring the perspectives of people with dementia. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77 (4), 1992-2201.   
    • Sweeney, L., Wolverson, E., & Clarke, C. (2021). Understanding the shared experiences of creating a digital life story with individuals with dementia and their spouse. Dementia, 20(5), 1791-1813.   
    • Sweeney, L., Clarke, C., & Wolverson, E. (2021). The use of everyday technologies to enhance well-being and enjoyment for people living with dementia: A systematic literature review and narrative synthesis. Dementia, 20(4), 1470-1495.  
    • Buggins, S. L., Clarke, C. & Wolverson, E. (2021). Resilience in older people living with dementia–A narrative analysis. Dementia, 20(4), 1234–1249.  
    • White, C., Dunn, R., Wolverson, E., & Zafeiridi, E. (2020). The views of carers, people living with dementia and healthcare practitioners about the value of online information and peer  
    • Clarke, C., Woods, B., Moniz-Cook, E., Mountain, G., Øksnebjerg, L., Chattat, R. ... & Wolverson, E. (2020). Measuring the well-being of people with dementia: a conceptual scoping review. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 18(1), 1-14.  
    • Hickman, H., Clarke, C., & Wolverson, E. (2020). A qualitative study of the shared experience of humour between people living with dementia and their partners. Dementia, 19(6), 1794-1810.  
    • Conway, L., Wolverson, E., & Clarke, C. (2020). Shared Experiences of Resilience Amongst Couples Where One Partner Is Living With Dementia—A Grounded Theory Study. Frontiers in Medicine, 7, 219.  
    • Heap, C. J., & Wolverson, E. (2020). Intensive Interaction and discourses of personhood: A focus group study with dementia caregivers. Dementia, 19(6), 2018-2037.  
    • Wolverson, E., Birtles, H., Moniz-Cook, E., James, I., Brooker, D., & Duffy, F. (2019). Naming and Framing the Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) Paradigm: Professional Stakeholder Perspectives. OBM Geriatrics, 3(4) 1-19.  
    • Howe, D., Thorpe, J., Dunn, R., White, C., Cunnah, K., Platt, R. ... & Wolverson, E. (2020). The CAREGIVERSPRO-MMD Platform as an Online Informational and Social Support Tool for People Living With Memory Problems and Their Carers: An Evaluation of User Engagement, Usability and Usefulness. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 39(12), 1303-1312.  
    • Zafeiridi, P., Paulson, K., Dunn, R., Wolverson, E., White, C., Thorpe, J. A., ... & Malherbe, L. (2018). A web-based platform for people with memory problems and their caregivers (CAREGIVERSPRO-MMD): Mixed-methods evaluation of usability. JMIR Formative Research, 2(1),e4.  
    • Patterson, K., Clarke, C., Wolverson, E. & Moniz-Cook, E. D. (2018). Through the eyes of others-the social experiences of people with dementia: a systematic literature review and synthesis. International Psychogeriatrics, 30(6) 791-805.  
    • Yennadiou, H. & Wolverson, E. (2017). The experience of epilepsy in later life: a qualitative exploration of illness representations. Epilepsy & Behavior, 70, 87-93.  
    • Vince, A., Wolverson, E., Clarke, C (2017). The meaning and experience of well-being in dementia for psychiatrists involved in diagnostic disclosure: a qualitative study. International Psychogeriatrics, 29(1) 93–104. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610216001484 
    • Wolverson, E., Clarke, C., & Moniz-Cook, E. D. (2016). Living positively with dementia: a systematic review and synthesis of the qualitative literature. Aging & Mental Health, 20(7), 676-699.  
    • Harris, C., & Wolverson, E. (2014). Intensive Interaction: To build fulfilling relationships. Journal of Dementia Care, 22(6), 201427-201430.  
    • Wolverson, E., Clarke, C., & Moniz-Cook, E. (2010). Remaining hopeful in early-stage dementia: A qualitative study. Aging & Mental Health, 14(4), 450-460.  
    • Wolverson (Radbourne), E., Clarke, C. & Moniz-Cook, E. (2009) Hope-is it a relevant concept for dementia research? PSIGE Bulletin 106 11-16 

  • Research degree supervision

    Emma has expertise in supporting doctoral students. She has supervised 23 PhD / and DClinPsych students to completion.

    Current students:  

    • Wood, C. (due for completion 2025). Dementia, Death and Dying: Can a death café approach help with future care planning conversations.
    • Dunn, R. (due for completion 2024). “She’s my memory; he’s my legs!” An interpretive phenomenological exploration of couples’ experiences living with dementia and multiple health conditions.
    • Emma is also an experienced external examiner and has examined students Vivas for theUniversity of East Anglia, University of Leeds, University of Manchester, UCL and Bangor University.