Lindy Clemson

Professor Emeritus Lindy Clemson is a distinguished occupational therapist and public health researcher specializing in ageing at the University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney School of Health Sciences. She earned her PhD in epidemiology from the University of Sydney in 2003, along with an MAppSc (Research), BAppSc (OT), and Dip OT. Her research centers on falls prevention among older people, developing evidence-based interventions such as the internationally acclaimed Stepping On community-based program, which integrates education, strength, balance training, and home modifications to reduce falls and build confidence. Another landmark contribution is the Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise (LiFE) program, which embeds balance and strength activities into daily routines, demonstrating significant reductions in fall rates.

Clemson's extensive career at the University of Sydney has produced influential publications, including the book 'Stepping On: Building Confidence and Reducing Falls' (with Megan Swann), the BMJ article 'Integration of balance and strength training into daily life activity to reduce rate of falls in older people' (2012), and contributions to Cochrane reviews on environmental interventions for preventing falls in community-dwelling older people. Recent work includes the 'Home based, tailored intervention to reduce rate of falls after stroke (LiFE after Stroke)' published in BMJ (2026), slashing post-stroke falls by 33 percent. With over 28,000 citations on Google Scholar, her scholarship has transformed occupational therapy practices, clinical guidelines, and public health strategies worldwide. She is a member of the Ageing and Health research group and the Charles Perkins Active Ageing Research Node. Honors include the Sylvia Docker Award (2020, highest national occupational therapy award in Australia), Fellow of the Occupational Therapy Australia Research Academy (FOTARA), Occupational Therapy Australia National Award (2013), and Pam Albany Guest Lecture.

Professional Email: lindy.clemson@sydney.edu.au