Healthy Development and Aging

The aim of this research platform is to strengthen and increase access to physical therapy, healthcare, and community systems that optimize the health and well-being of people across the lifespan. This aim is addressed by:

1. Developing tools and approaches to understand populations with complex health and social care needs;
2. Developing beneficial and cost-effective physical therapy and rehabilitation interventions and community wellness programs that meet the needs of individuals and families;
3. Understanding how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technologies, and personal behaviors affect implementation of and access to these interventions and programs;
4. Developing clinical practice guidelines and strategies to increase the uptake of recommended physical therapy and rehabilitation interventions and community wellness programs.
5. Creating innovative education tools and programs to prepare physical therapists for current and emerging roles that advance the health, function, and well-being of individuals, families, and communities.

Research undertaken within this platform has yielded novel approaches to physical therapy education, assessment, and treatment. Faculty have created innovative community-based exercise, dance, and self-management programs incorporating new roles for health professionals and evidence-based strategies to promote health, function, and well-being across the lifespan. Diverse research methodologies, including qualitative, quantitative, mixed method, and multi-method research, are used within this platform. Faculty have expertise with knowledge synthesis, health record reviews, surveys, development and evaluation of complex interventions using time series and (cluster) randomized controlled trials, advanced statistical modeling, behaviour change theories, and clinical practice guideline development.

Programs of Research and Faculty

• Rehabilitation Health Services Outcomes and Evaluation - Susan Jaglal
• Spinal Cord Injury Mobility Lab - Kristen Musselman
• Episodic Disability and Rehabilitation Research - Kelly O’Brien
• Rehabilitation of the Lower Extremities After Neurological Injury (RELEARN) Lab - Kara Patterson
• Rehabilitation Aimed at Muscle Performance (RAMP) Lab - Darlene Reid
• Knowledge to Action (KTA) Mobility Lab - Nancy Salbach
• Cardiopulmonary Tele-Rehabilitation & Remote Monitoring Lab - Lisa Wickerson
• Education Scholarship - Jaimie Coleman, Brenda Mori, Martine Quesnel, Sharon Switzer-McIntyre, Tricia Twogood, Esther Waugh, Euson Yeung
• Advancing Critical Disability Studies for Equity and Social Change (ACCESS) - Chavon Niles