Da Cunha Belchior Patricia
Contact information
Biography
Patrícia Belchior is an Associate Professor in the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill University and a regular researcher at the CRIUGM and the McGill Center for Studies in Aging. She holds a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Florida and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in cognitive aging. Her research focuses on cognitive rehabilitation, technology-based interventions, and occupational engagement for older adults with neurocognitive disorders.
Research interests
Belchior’s work explores how cognitive, technological, and psychosocial supports can foster autonomy and participation among seniors. She co-leads projects on community-based dementia care, technological adoption, caregiver experiences, and intersectoral living labs. She is a co-investigator on major Canadian initiatives such as the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA), AGE-WELL, and multiple public health and CIHR-funded programs.
Over the past decade, she has secured research funding from CIHR, NSERC, RQRV, AGE-WELL, the CRIUGM, the Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and international collaborations (e.g., Manipal-McGill Global Health Program, Brazil’s FAP-DF). Her work emphasizes participatory research, knowledge mobilization, and the integration of occupational therapy in interdisciplinary dementia care strategies.
Keywords: cognitive aging, occupational therapy, dementia, social participation, technology adoption, rehabilitation, caregivers, community-based intervention, knowledge translation, aging in place