Richard Fleming

Richard Fleming is an Honorary Professor at the University of Wollongong’s Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities. With over 30 years in elderly care, he has specialized in dementia care, environmental design, and aged care system reform. He previously directed HammondCare’s Dementia Services Development Centre and led national dementia training initiatives. His research focuses on designing inclusive environments, improving care quality through evidence-based interventions, and advocating for human rights in aged care settings. Key projects include developing environmental assessment tools (e.g., SEAT, C-EAT) and pioneering 'Dementia Friendly' communities. Fleming has supervised multiple PhD and MPhil students on topics like environmental design, care staff training, and climate-friendly healthcare practices. He has secured funding from NHMRC, Australian Government, and industry partners for projects addressing dementia care environments and policy reforms.

Research Interests:

• Environmental design for dementia care facilities
• Cross-cultural adaptation of care tools
• Human rights in residential aged care
• Geriatric care quality and policy

Grants & Collaborations:

• NSW/ACT Dementia Training Study Centre (2010–present)
• UNSW-based Dementia Collaborative Research Centre (Node Leader)
• Projects funded by NHMRC, DoHA, and IRT Research Foundation

Labs/Teams:

Leading the Environmental & Assistive Technology node in the UNSW Dementia CRC and collaborating with HammondCare, IRT, and global partners on dementia-friendly environment initiatives.