Dr Carmela Leone is a Research Officer at the John Richards Centre for Rural Ageing Research in the La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University. Her research focuses on dementia, care and ageing through a rights‑based and socio‑spatial lens. She examines the agency of people living with dementia and carers in navigating care pathways, the experiences of migrant aged care workers in building social resilience, and community and local government responses to ageing in rural and regional contexts. Dr Leone’s work engages with issues of social inclusion, participation, and access to public spaces, particularly in disaster and extreme climate contexts. Her PhD, undertaken as part of the Webster Rural and Regional Dementia Care Project, examined the socio‑spatial rights of people living with dementia and their carers, informing the development of dementia‑inclusive and age‑friendly communities.