Expert Details

Holly Tuokko

Contact Information

Holly Tuokko
Professor and CIHR Institute of Aging Senior Investigator
Phone Number:(250) 721-6350
Email:

Languages: English
Website:
web.uvic.ca/psyc/tuokko
Departments:
Psychology
Aging, Centre on

Research Information

Research Description

- Cognitive impairment in older adults
- Older driver safety
- Mental health and aging
- Lifespan development and aging

Expertise Profile

Seniors are the fastest growing segment of the population today.

Dr. Holly Tuokko, a University of Victoria psychologist and the director of UVic's Centre on Aging, studies elderly drivers, including how older adults' attitudes and beliefs about driving affect when and where they drive.

When Dr. Tuokko first became interested in the subject, there was little to no research being done on older driver safety. She began by studying people with dementia and their driving habits, before expanding her research to include all older adults.

The primary focus her research in this area is on safety and identifying ways for older drivers to stay on the road safely as long as possible.

Her other research interests include the evolution of cognitive disorders in later life and everyday competencies such as financial management and end-of-life decision-making.

Dr. Tuokko coordinated the neuropsychological component of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, which followed over 10,000 elderly Canadians for a ten-year period from 1991 to 2001. The study launched her career in the field and set the groundwork for other large multidisciplinary research projects in Canada.

In the classroom, Dr Tuokko emphasizes her field's relevance to the lives of Canada's burgeoning elderly population. She uses problem-based learning, feature films and highlights Canadian research to engage students with the material and allow them to explore the issue on their own terms.

Interdisciplinary Research

Dr. Tuokko's work on cognitive impairment in older adults, mental health and aging, and older drivers is all interdisciplinary.

Health Related Research

Her health related research includes cognitive impairment in older adults, and mental health and aging.

Research Keywords

Community Interaction

Community Projects

Dr. Tuokko studies older drivers in and around Victoria.

Community Collaborations

She works with Vancouver Island Health Authority, the Capital Regional District Traffic Safety Commission and the Veteran's Health Centre.