Prof. Rabia Khalaila Ph.D
Prof. Rabia Khalaila is Vice-President for Academic Affairs and full professor at Zefat Academic College (ZAC) in Israel, where he has been serving since 2009. He previously headed the Nursing Department until 2018. An accomplished researcher in gerontology and nursing, his work focuses on modifiable factors that contribute to successful aging, protection against cognitive decline, and improving cognitive performance among older adults. His research also addresses brain health equity, particularly among the Arab minority in Israel, and he is developing culturally appropriate cognitive training for low-educated older Arabs. Prof. Khalaila holds four academic degrees, including B.S.N, M.P.H, M.B.A, an a Ph.D. in social work and gerontology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and has completed a postdoctoral fellowship in gerontology at Haifa University. He also recently completed a prestigious Atlantic Fellowship at the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) at the University of California, San Francisco, further solidifying his international presence in the field of gerontollogy and cognitive aging research. In addition, he is a board member of several national committees and organizations promoting the welfare of elderly individuals in Israel, including the EMDA Scientific Council for Alzheimer’s patients and the Israel Gerontological Association. Prof. His contributions have earned recognition from both the Israel and international Gerontological societies, and for the last two consecutive years, he has been ranked among the top 2% of scientists in the world, according to Stanford University’s prestigious list. This distinction highlights his significant impact on the fields of gerontology and cognitive health research.
Research Interests:
- Optimal/ successful aging (Mental health / depression, Quality of life, Loneliness)
- Cognition: Cognitive functions \ decline, Cognitive reserve, Modifiable factors for dementia
- Family Caregiver: caregiving burden, compassion fatigue and filial piety
- Home and Community-Based Services for older adults
- Older Arab population in Israel
Keywords:
Quantitative research; Arab society, older adults, Aging, cognition, Cognitive Reserve, Family Caregivers, SHARE dataset,
SDG Keywords:
Mental health, ethnicity, culture, ageism
He can be contacted at:
rabia.khalaila@gbhi.org
