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Rosa Marina Afonso is an Associate Professor with Tenure at the Department of Psychology and Education, University of Beira Interior (Portugal). She directs courses on Person-Centered Care: An Alternative Approach to Older Adult Care and Psychological Assessment and Intervention with People with Dementia . Her work focuses on dementia care, aging populations, neuropsychological interventions, and person-centered care models. She has contributed to developing assessment tools like the Capacity Assessment Instrument–Health and Person-centered Care Assessment Tool (P-CAT) for Portuguese populations. Her research includes cross-cultural studies on reminiscence therapy, pandemic impacts on elderly health, and end-of-life care practices in residential facilities. She has also explored centenarian health profiles and the role of emotional intelligence in well-being. Her research spans over 50 peer-reviewed articles since 2018, addressing topics such as cognitive assessment norms, ageism in healthcare, and environmental factors affecting sleep in aging populations. She collaborates internationally on projects like the REMINDER program (neuropsychological lifestyle interventions) and Mystreets (VR-based cognitive stimulation). Her work emphasizes practical applications in long-term care facilities and policy-relevant insights on aging challenges. Dr. Afonso’s academic activities include teaching courses on psychogerontology, adult development psychology, and medical psychology. She actively participates in institutional initiatives to improve care quality and address societal aging needs through interdisciplinary research and evidence-based practices.

• Psychogerontology
• Dementia Care
• Person-Centered Care
• +3 more

Maria Vânia Silva Nunes is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Portuguese Catholic University, and a researcher at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS). She holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences (Neurosciences) and is a specialist in Neuropsychology and Psychogerontology. She has coordinated the Master's program in Neuropsychology and currently co-coordinates the Master's in Cognitive and Behavioral Neurosciences. Her educational background includes a PhD in Biomedical Sciences (Neurosciences) from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon, a master's degree in Neuroscience, and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the same university. Her research centers on Aging and dementias, Cognitive Reserve and Dementia Prevention, Stimulation in Dementia, and Rehabilitation of Acquired Brain Injury. Her fingerprint highlights key areas such as Working Memory, Quality of Life, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Acquired Brain Injury, Brain Injury, Cognitive Decline, Sensation of Hearing, and Cognitive Disorders. She has contributed extensively through publications, book chapters, and educational materials. Her recent publications (2022–2025) reflect a strong trend in dementia risk assessment (e.g., CAIDE and EEG), interventions for aging populations (leisure training, human development), and palliative care needs in elderly residential settings. Her work combines clinical neuropsychology with public health and educational innovation, demonstrating a multidisciplinary approach to cognitive aging and neurorehabilitation. She has supervised dozens of master’s dissertations and three completed doctoral theses, playing a key role in mentoring the next generation of researchers. She has also been involved in numerous academic activities, including serving on examination juries and organizing advanced training programs in aging. She is actively involved in research projects such as DemenPrev (as Principal Investigator) and AQUI_LGP (as Co-Principal Investigator), and has organized academic events like the 'Formação Avançada em Envelhecimento' in 2025. She was formerly the national coordinator for the Elderly and Dependent area of the Portuguese Red Cross, highlighting her commitment to applied and community-oriented research.

• Neurosciences
• Neuropsychology
• Psychogerontology
• +8 more

Maria João Quintela is a Consultant Lecturer affiliated with the Post-Graduate Programme in Social Gerontology. She holds significant leadership roles in organizations focused on gerontology and healthcare, including Vice President of the Portuguese Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (SPGG) and President of the Portuguese Association of Psychogerontology (APP). Organizations: Consultant to the Directorate-General for Health Vice President of SPGG President of APP Member of UDIPSS Lisboa President of the General Assembly of FITI Member of CNIS

• Gerontology
• Social Gerontology
• Healthcare Management

Maria José Pereira Ferreira is an Assistant Professor at Lusófona University of Porto's Faculty of Psychology and Education, where she leads research through the HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab. She completed her Ph.D. in Social Psychology in 2012 at the University of Minho and is recognized by the Portuguese Psychologists Order as a specialist in multiple psychology domains. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Minho (2012), establishing her foundation in psychological research methodology and theory development. Her academic training has positioned her at the intersection of theoretical psychology and practical applications in various psychological domains. Maria José's research focuses on Social Psychology, Community Psychology, Positive Psychology, and Development across the lifespan, with particular emphasis on psychological well-being, coping mechanisms, and autotelic personality. Her work explores how positivity and effective coping strategies influence mental health outcomes across diverse populations including emerging adults, informal caregivers, prisoners, and individuals concerned about climate change. She investigates the intersection of psychological factors with contemporary challenges like digital literacy and social engineering threats. Her recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a consistent focus on psychological well-being across different contexts, with increasing attention to contemporary issues like climate change concerns and digital security. Her research spans traditional psychological domains while incorporating modern challenges, showing a trajectory toward more applied research with practical implications for mental health interventions. Maria José actively supervises dissertations on topics including: Autotelic Personality and Flow Capacity for Emotional Recognition Stress, Coping and Well-Being Positive Orientation to Life Self-regulatory Processes and Well-Being She is involved in multiple research projects including TechMap: Assessment of minimum level of proficiency in digital literacy, demonstrating her commitment to addressing contemporary societal challenges through psychological research. She leads research activities within the HEI-LAB - Human Environment Interaction Lab, which focuses on the intersection of human psychology and environmental factors. Her lab work integrates international research teams focused on applied research regarding well-being, emotions, coping strategies, autotelic personality, and optimal experiences across diverse populations and contexts.

• Social Psychology
• Community Psychology
• Positive Psychology
• +12 more