Professor Lindy Clemson
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Qualifications: PhD Sydney MAppSc (Research)(OT) Sydney BAppSc(OT) WAIT DipOT NSWCollOT Positions held:
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Biography
Professor Lindy Clemson is a specialist in public health research on ageing and an occupational therapist with a PhD in epidemiology. She leads the Participation, Safety and Ageing Research Team, investigating ways to improve the independence and quality of life of older people and to prevent falls. Her specific focus is on the physical environment, functional capacity and adaptation, daily life activity, enabling participation and preventing falls with older people.
She has conducted randomised trials in the area of falls prevention with NHMRC project grant funding, including the successful "Stepping On" falls prevention program. She has contributed to the validation and development of functional assessments for older people related to ageing in place, and more recently conducted implementation research exploring issues of sustainability of fall prevention initiatives. Her falls prevention intervention "Stepping On" has attracted US CDC funding with collaborators at the University of Madison, Wisconsin to investigate its development for the US context.
Lindy has over 40 peer reviewed publications, with over half of these on falls prevention, and has produced several practical manuals providing frameworks for practice. She developed the first assessment procedure for identifying fall hazards in the home. This Westmead Home Safety assessment, currently considered a gold standard, is used by numerous universities and clinical settings nationally and internationally.
Lindy served on the Board of Directors of the Independent Living Centre for ten years till 2008, has served on the NSW Policy Development Working Party (Falls) and as a NHMRC Grant Review Panel member in 2005 and 2007. She currently serves on the executive of the Australian and New Zealand Falls Prevention Society and as an invited member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists International Advisory Group on Accessibility and Participation. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Aging and Health and the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal.
Research Interests
- Ageing, adaptation and independence
- Falls prevention of older people
- Development and validation of assessments of environment, functional performance and daily life activity
- Physical home environment, person-environment fit
- Enabling participation: personal, social and community engagement
- Home and community safety
- Translation of research into practice
- Multi-methodology research- quantitative and qualitative methodologies
Teaching and Service Responsibilities
- Supervision of PhD and undergraduate Honour research students
- OCCP5187 Falls Prevention
- OCCP2085 Home and Community
- Selected lectures on ageing and occupational therapy
Research Opportunities
Selected Publications
- Clemson, L M 2011, Fall Risk Behavior, Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine, Springer New York LLC, USA
- McCluskey, M A, Thurtell, A, Clemson, L M, Kendig, H 2011, A study investigating the travel habits and preferences of older Australian adults with a falls risk, Australasian Journal on Ageing
- Riley, E A, Sitharthan, G, Clemson, L M, Diamond, M 2011, The needs of gender-variant children and their parents: A parent survey, International Journal of Sexual Health, 23(3), 181-195
- Clemson, L., Fiatarone Singh, M., Bundy, A. C., Cumming, R. G., Weissel, E., Munro, J., et al. (2010). LiFE Pilot Study: A randomised trial of balance and strength training embedded in daily life activity to reduce falls in older adults. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 57, 42-50.
- Clemson, L. (2010). Prevention of falls in the community: is successful in trial settings, but translation into practice remains a challenge. [Editorial]. British Medical Journal, 340 (15 May), 1042-1043.
- Clemson, L., Fiatarone Singh, M., Bundy, A. C., Cumming, R. G., Weissel, E., Munro, J., et al. (2010). LiFE Pilot Study: A randomised trial of balance and strength training embedded in daily life activity to reduce falls in older adults. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 57, 42-50.
- Clemson, L., Bundy, A., Cumming, R. G., Kay, L. G., & Luckett, T. (2008). Validating the Falls Behavioural (FaB) Scale for Older People: A Rasch analysis. Disability and Rehabiliation, 30 (7), 498-506.
- Clemson, L., & Swann, M. (2008). Stepping On: building confidence and reducing falls. A community based program for older people. (2nd ed.). Camperdown, NSW: Sydney University Press.
Selected Grants
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NHMRC Partnership Projects ID 546282 |
Day, L., Finch, C., Hill, K. Haines, T. & Clemson, L. |
Evidence based targeting of statewide strategies for preventing falls among community dwelling older people in Victoria |
2010 -2013 $407,571 |
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US Alzheimer's Association New Investigator Research Grant |
Clemson, L. |
Using personal and environmental resources to reduce falls risk |
2009-11 $80,0000 |
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Commonwealth funded community research project |
Mathews, M., Clemson, L. & Hammond Group |
Assistive Technology and caregiver need: older adults with dementia |
$50,000 |
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University of Sydney Institute of Social Sciences Research Grant |
Mason, R., Brock, K, Clemson, L., Frazer, D, & Cant, R. |
Uptake of vitamin D and exercise amongst SE Asian women |
$80,0000 |
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Rehabilitation & Disability Research Foundation Research Grant |
Durvasula, S. Stancliffe, R. Clemson, L. |
Falls and associated risk factors in adults with intellectual disability |
2009 $10,000 |
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University of Sydney Bridging Grant ID 2008-00433 |
Clemson L., Cameron, I., Lannin, N., Rubenstein, L. Nelson, d. |
Pre-discharge home visits are superior to in-hospital consultations for older people: The HOME trial |
2010 $50,000 |
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NHMRC Project Grant ID 570886 |
Sherrington, C., Clemson, L.. Lord, S., et al. |
Exercise self-management to improve long-term functioning and prevent falls after hip fracture. |
2009 - 2012$ $865,376 |
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Centre for Disease Control (CDC) (US) Grant RFA-CE-07-007: Dissemination Research "Stepping On" in a U.S. Community |
Mahoney, J., Layde, P. Christiansen, A Cech, S. Clemson, L. (consultant) |
Dissemination Research on Fall Prevention: "Stepping On" in a Wisconsin Community |
2008 -2011 $1,400,000 US |
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NHMRC Project Grant ID 402682 |
Clemson, L., Fiatarone Singh, M., Bundy, A & Cumming, R. G. Weissel, E. (AI) |
Lifestyle (LIFE) versus structured balance and strength training to reduce falls in the elderly: a randomized trial |
2006 - 2008 $641,100 |