How SLTs Can Stay Engaged with Dementia Research

Thank you for your kind words! It’s great to hear that you’re interested in staying up to date with dementia research to inform your practice as a speech and language therapist. Bridging the gap between clinical work and research can be challenging, but there are several effective ways to stay engaged and even contribute to research yourself.

• Join Professional Networks and Forums – The UK SLT PPA Network meets every three months on Zoom and provides an excellent forum for keeping up with the latest research on Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) and related areas. It’s a great space to discuss new evidence, share experiences, and connect with researchers and clinicians. If you’re interested in joining, you can email Anna Volkmer at a.volkmer.15@ucl.ac.uk.

• Engage with Research Publications and Summaries – Keeping up with journal articles can be time-consuming, but many resources offer digestible summaries of the latest research. The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) provides regular updates, as does the  NIHR Evidence website, and the Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies publish accessible summaries of research findings relevant to SLTs.

• Follow Dementia Research Communities – Online communities like Dementia Researcher (via the website or app) offer podcasts, blogs, and webinars on the latest developments in dementia research. They are broad in the content but engaging with these resources can help you stay informed and are good if you’re thinking of starting out in academia.

• Attend Conferences and Training Events – Events like the RCSLT Conference, and ISTAART live sessions often include presentations on new research findings and their practical applications. Many of these events also offer recordings or summaries if you can’t attend live.

• Contribute to Research as a Practitioner – There are many ways SLTs can contribute to dementia research, depending on your level of interest and available time:

• • Collaborate with Researchers – Many university-led projects seek clinical input or data from practitioners. If you’re interested, reaching out to researchers working in aphasia and dementia could be a good starting point.

• • Become a Clinical Research Champion – Organisations such as NIHR and RCSLT often look for clinicians who can support research initiatives by recruiting participants, co-developing studies, or helping translate findings into practice.

• • Participate in Service Evaluations and Audits – If you’re looking for a smaller commitment, engaging in practice-based research within your own service—such as evaluating therapy outcomes for people with dementia and aphasia—can contribute valuable insights.

• • Apply for Research Grants and Fellowships – If you’re keen to take a more active role in research, the NIHR, Alzheimer’s Society, or Stroke Association have specific small first-timer funding calls to enable healthcare professional to do research within their service, and you don’t have to have a background in academia, just a passion to perform research alongside your practice.

• Connect with Research-Focused SLTs – If you’d like to explore research opportunities further, you could arrange a conversation with experienced SLTs involved in research, I know I would be happy to chat with you or put you in touch with the others who appeared on the podcast (Jackie and Rosemary) to provide guidance on how to get started.

It’s fantastic that you’re keen to bridge the research-practice gap, and there are plenty of ways to do so, whether by staying informed or actively contributing to research!