Louise Ritchie is a Professor in Dementia Research and Director of the Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice. Her research focuses on promoting social justice and inclusion for people living with dementia and their family carers. As lead of the ESRC/NIHR/Alzheimer's Society funded Working with Dementia Network Plus (2024-2029) her work centres on improving employment practices to support continued participation in the workforce for people with dementia and family carers, raising awareness of dementia, and influencing policy. Louise also has interests in the role of the arts to support people with dementia, exploring music, heritage, and poetry as tools for wellbeing and advocacy. Through these interconnected themes, her research aims to transform societal attitudes to dementia and create rights-based change.

Working with Dementia Network Plus 2024-2029

Funded by the  ESRC, NIHR and Alzheimer’s Society, the network aims to address the challenges of employment for people living with dementia and their family carers. Its overarching goal is to build an inclusive, transdisciplinary research network to improve workplace practices, reduce stigma, and influence policy through evidence-based tools and innovative projects.

Guidance for Life, Work and Career: Co-producing a career guidance support for people living with dementia 2021-2025

Funded by the Alzheimer’s Society, the project explored how tailored career guidance can support people living with dementia to remain in work, transition to new roles, or engage in meaningful activities. Co-produced with people affected by dementia and professionals, the project developed practical resources to promote inclusion and informed decision-making.

Evaluation of the Dementia Inclusive Singing Network 2019-2021

Funded by the Life Changes Trust, this project aims to understand the impact of dementia inclusive choirs for people with dementia and unpaid carers and assess the working of the Dementia Inclusive Singing Network in terms of its ability to raise awareness of dementia and improve access to the arts for people affected by dementia within Scotland.

The social, emotional and physical impact of living in supported housing with dementia 2019-2022

Funded by the Abbeyfield Research Foundation, this funded PhD studentship will explore the experiences of people living with dementia in supported housing settings. 

Employers' responses to dementia in the workplace in Scotland 2016-2018

Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland funded collaborative grant, which is led by Edinburgh Napier University. The aim of this research is to explore how employers in Scotland support their employees with dementia. The research will help us to understand whether employers are meeting their legal duties. The research will look at the policies that employers have to support employees with dementia. 

NHS

Third Sector organisations

Employers and HR organisations

My research is moving toward three key areas: improving employment practices for people living with dementia and their family carers, developing arts-based approaches to promote inclusion and wellbeing, and advancing dementia activism to influence policy and challenge stigma. These strands are connected by a focus on rights, participation, and evidence-based change, with an emphasis on co-production and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Young onset dementia

Dementia in the workplace

Purposeful activity and dementia

Personhood, identity and rights