Dr. Michel Bédard

My main research interests are about the maintenance of independence and quality of life in older adults.  The two primary foci include automobile driving and caregiving.  My research on automobile driving covers the whole continuum from understanding what allows drivers to remain safe to transitioning to non-driving.  My research on caregiving has focused on identifying caregivers who are strained and developing interventions to support them.  I conduct research using a wide range of methodological approaches, from observational designs to randomized-controlled trials.

I am the founding Director of the Centre for Research on Safe Driving (CRSD) where the focus of our research program is on the identification of the determinants of safe and unsafe driving (e.g., cognition, self-beliefs, health status, medication use), the development of approaches to assess fitness-to-drive, and the development of programs to enhance safe driving.  I am also the Scientific Director of the Centre for Applied Health Research (CAHR) at St. Joseph’s Care Group, a large health care organization providing services in complex care and physical rehabilitation, long-term care, and mental health and addictions. 

More information on my research can also be found on my Google Scholar page.