Dr. Akehsan Dahlan

About

I am a healthcare and rehabilitation expert with over 30 years of hands-on experience in clinical practice, academic leadership, and research—particularly in occupational therapy and geriatric rehabilitation. My expertise centres around the assessment, maintenance, installation, and use of specialised rehabilitation equipment across industrial, scientific, and medical domains. I have a strong foundation in both conventional and advanced therapeutic technologies, which I regularly employ in the treatment and training of patients and healthcare professionals.

I specialise in cognitive rehabilitation and cognitive stimulation therapy (CST), especially for older adults with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. I have developed and validated culturally adapted interventions such as the Cognitive Stimulation Therapy – Malaysia (CST-M) module, and have led training programs for therapists and caregivers to ensure consistent and evidence-based application.

I have also integrated transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) into my rehabilitation protocols as a non-invasive neurostimulation technique to support cognitive function and neuroplasticity in older populations. My involvement includes setup, parameter calibration, electrode placement, safety monitoring, and training postgraduate students and clinicians in its application.

Throughout my career, I have developed, used, and trained others in a wide array of equipment, including but not limited to:

Volumetric Incentive Spirometer (e.g., Voldyne 2500) for respiratory rehabilitation,

EH Board for Visual-Motor Integration (which I invented and registered under MyIPO),

Snoezelen multi-sensory room equipment for behavioural regulation,

Fine motor skill development tools such as Dakon Therapy for ADHD children,

Driving simulators and cognitive screening tools for older adults.

I routinely maintain, troubleshoot, and upgrade rehabilitation devices in clinical and research settings to ensure they meet operational and safety standards. I also produce training manuals, technical guides, and standard operating procedures to facilitate consistent and safe usage across teams.

As a senior academic and postgraduate supervisor, I have mentored numerous students in the implementation of equipment-based interventions, including the use of fNIRS (Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy) for cognitive workload assessment, sensory-based therapy tools, and psychometric validation of therapy equipment. My innovation efforts have been recognised with multiple national awards, including Gold and Diamond Awards at UiTM’s Invention, Innovation & Design Exposition (iidex), and several of my products have been granted intellectual property rights.

In addition, I have developed Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and conducted workshops on therapeutic equipment usage in occupational therapy practice, ensuring knowledge is transferred not only at the clinical level but also through structured educational programs.

My goal is to continue developing effective, evidence-based tools and programs that empower healthcare professionals while improving outcomes for clients, especially older persons navigating cognitive and functional decline.

Areas of Expertise