Sofia Vikström

Sofia Vikström
Associate Professor, Lecturer, Deputy Departmental Educational coordinator at NVS
Telephone:
+46-(0)76-949 76 57
E-mail: sofia.vikstrom@ki.se
sofia.vikstrom@ki.se
Organisational connections:
• H1 NVS

About me

I hold the position of Deputy Departmental Educational coordinator (Swe: Bitr GUA) at Department NVS, with a Vice-Chairmanship in the NVS Educational Board https://ki.se/nvs/utbildning/utbildningsnamnden-nvs

I was employed at the Department of Occupational Therapy in 2007 and am now a lecturer and associate professor in occupational therapy.  

As I performed my research studies part-time, combining teaching and, above all, parental leave, I obtained a Licentiate degree in 2005 with the title Engagement in everyday occupation – Aspects related to persons with dementia and their caregiving spouses, followed by a PhD in occupational therapy which was defended in January 2008 with the title: Supporting persons with dementia and their spouses´ everyday occupations in the home environment.

My research is in occupational therapy and care science in interprofessional project constellations.

My focus is threefold with the common denominator of interventions with a strong focus on pedagogy and collaboration between different actors.

One focus is in line with the thesis, and aims to support informal and formal caregivers to people with dementia. Another focus is the introduction of health-promoting initiatives within health and social care activities, such as implementing the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare's guidelines for people with dementia within projects KISAM and DEHEM respectively.  

Identifying new, innovative ways of working in healthcare for both students and staff, often with elements of narrative methods, is an additional one. 

During 2022, I taught and partly researched at Arizona State University in the USA within a STINT stipend, and have several international collaborations, including with Sydney University in Australia.

 
2005 Licentiate degree in occupational therapy
2007 Assistant lecturer in occupational therapy
2008 Doctorate in occupational therapy
2011 Lecturer in occupational therapy
2015 Elected member of KI's Pedagogical Academy
2019 Recipient of KI's Work Environment and Health Award
2026 Associate professor in occupational therapy

In my free time, I spend time with my family or engage in outdoor activities such as sailing my British longboat.

My ongoing research focuses primarily on aspects of support, or health promotion initiatives for people with dementia.

As an occupational therapist, I have an extra drive to identify and develop ways in which those who support the person with dementia can contribute to their continued active participation in everyday activities. 

In the health promotion project OPEN, we have created a popular health promotion training concept for older people to do in their home environment. After our randomized controlled study with qualitative additions, and the production of more than ten scientific publications, it has now been adopted by several municipalities in the country, including the city of Stockholm and its municipal districts. 

Within the framework of pedagogy and development, I collaborate with program managers and teaching colleagues in studying the consequences of, and needs related to, broadened recruitment.  

In the FORTE project with Alejandra Machado as PI, Mild cognitive impairment and dementia diagnosis in the workplace, both a register study and an interview study are being carried out with a focus on work-related conditions for people of working age who are diagnosed with cognitive impairment.

In the HELD research group, we are actively seeking funding for a three-armed research project in Nature based rehabilitation, where people with mental illness and people with stroke are in focus.

I have extensive experience teaching occupational therapy and related subjects.

My teaching started with odd hours at KI when I was a clinical occupational therapis. In 2007 I received a lecturer position at KI, and in addition to teaching at KI, I have taught e. g. at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Arizona State University, Sofiahemmet, Helsinki Metropolitan College, Arcada University, NTNU in Trondheim, Luleå University of Technology and Umeå University.

I currently teach and have course responsibility primarily on Organization and Leadership and Quality Development Work at bachelor's level.

I also teach Innovation and Development with support in the Design Thinking methodology at master's level and the same at doctoral level. I supervise and examine one and 2 years master's and doctoral students regularly.

I am a teacher and examiner in the last two modules of the European University Joint Master in Occupational Therapy, where I am a member of the board as from 2026.