Sachindri Wijekoon, PhD

Assistant Professor

Contact Information
@OT_Sachii 
Google Scholar
ORCID:   0000-0001-8447-0218

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship (University of Toronto & Autism Research Centre, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital)
  • PhD (Western University)
  • MScOT (University of Toronto)
  • HBSc (University of Toronto)

Graduate Program Supervision

  • Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Occupational Science and Health and Aging Fields MSc | PhD

Research In Profile

Professor Wijekoon's research delves into the intricate relationship between aging, social marginalization, and participation. Her program of research recognizes that older adults do not constitute a uniformly homogeneous group, as the opportunities and experiences available to them are shaped by intersecting social and structural factors.

By focusing on the experiences of marginalized older adults, particularly those who are racialized and immigrants, professor Wijekoon uncovers the complex factors that shape their participation in everyday life. Drawing on critical and anti-oppressive frameworks, she challenges the idea that participation difficulties are simply due to individual limitations. Instead, her work highlights how social structures and systems create barriers—and investigates how these systems can be transformed to promote equity and inclusion as people age. 

A central theme in her work is aging out of place—the experience of older adults who age in environments that no longer reflect or support their cultural identities, social ties, or sense of belonging. This dislocation may result from systemic factors such as migration, gentrification, exclusionary policies, or transitions into institutional care, as well as more personal changes like relocating to live with adult family members. Professor Wijekoon is particularly concerned with how these disruptions affect older adults’ sense of continuity, and how this, in turn, influences participation in daily life, belonging, and well-being.

Featured Publications and Projects

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

  • Wijekoon, S., Robison, J., Welch, C., Westphal, A., Loftin, R., Perry, B., ... & Penner, M. (2024). Neurodivergence and the Rabbit Hole of Extremism: Uncovering Lived Experience. Autism in Adulthood.
  • Kokorelias, K. M., Chau, V., Wijekoon, S., Singh, H., & Harris, M. T. (2024). Strategies for equity, diversity and inclusion in geriatric healthcare professional curricula: A scoping review protocol. Plos one, 19(10), e0307939.
  • Singh, H., Haghayegh, A. T., Shah, R., Cheung, L., Wijekoon, S., Reel, K., & Sangrar, R. (2023). A qualitative exploration of allied health providers’ perspectives on cultural humility in palliative and end-of-life care. BMC Palliative Care, 22(1), 92.
  • Wijekoon, S., & Peter, N. (2022). Examining racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity in occupational science research: Perspectives of persons of color. Journal of Occupational Science, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2022.2119269 
  • Welch, C., Senman, L., Loftin, R., Picciolini, C., Robison, J., Westphal, A., Perry, B., Nguyen, J., Jachyra, P., Stevenson, S., Aggarwal, J., Wijekoon, S., Baron-Cohen, S., & Penner, M. (2022). Understanding the Use of the Term “Weaponized Autism” in An Alt-Right Social Media Platform. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05701-0 
  • Singh, H., Sangrar, R., Wijekoon, S., Nekolaichuk, E., Kokorelias, K. M., Nelson, M. L. A., Mirzazada, S., Nguyen, T., Assaf, H., & Colquhoun, H. (2022). Applying “cultural humility” to occupational therapy practice: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open, 12(7), e063655–e063655. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063655 
  • Wijekoon, S., Laliberte Rudman, D., Hand, C., & Polgar, J. (2022). Taking refuge in religion: Buddhist-oriented coping following late-life immigration. Canadian Journal on Aging, 1–11. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980821000684 
  • Wijekoon, S., Rudman, D. L., Hand, C., & Polgar, J. (2021). Late-life immigrants’ place integration through occupation. Journal of Occupational Science, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2021.1960589 
  • Wijekoon, S., Wilson, W., Gowan, N., Ferreira, L., Phadke, C., Udler, E., & Bontempo, T. (2020). Experiences of occupational performance in survivors of stroke attending peer support groups. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 87(3), 173–181. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/0008417420905707 
  • Hand, C., Huot, S., Laliberte Rudman, D., & Wijekoon, S. (2017). Qualitative-geospatial methods of exploring person-place transactions in aging adults: A scoping review. The Gerontologist, 57(3), e47–e61. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnw130

Visit  Google Scholar for a comprehensive list of publications.

Graduate Student Opportunities

Our lab is currently seeking potential MSc and PhD students interested in the following areas:

  • Social isolation and loneliness in racialized and immigrant older adults
  • Exploring equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in age-friendly initiatives
  • Examining the applicability of 'Aging in Place' among marginalized older adults
  • Exploring the experiences of older adults through an intersectional lens
  • Factors contributing to resilience in older adults facing marginalization

For graduate opportunities, email professor Wijekoon at swijekoo@uwo.ca including a copy of your CV and a letter of intent.

Additional Information

Media Highlights

Professional Activities

  • Chair, En-AGE team, Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists