Faculty Research News

SFU researchers received funding to promote social connectedness amongst older adults within high-density/multi-unit rental housing communities. The Department of Gerontology received $150k of this fund to support research interns in Gerontology.

Congratulations to Simon Fraser University's Department of Gerontology Professor, Dr. Barbara Mitchell for receiving the Michael Smith Health Research BC Convening and Collaborating (C2) Award for her project researching the resiliency and mental health of older Punjabi women in British Columbia.

Simon Fraser University and the City of Burnaby have recently partnered to launch the Civic Innovation Lab. Dr. Atiya Mahmood and her research team SWAN is involved in this collaboration.

Read more about our Gerontology Lecture Series event highlighting Dr. Daniel Lai's research.

A new community forum report highlights recommendations to improve the health and quality of life of people with Spinal Cord Injury.

Congratulations to Simon Fraser University's Department of Gerontology Professor and Chair, Dr. Habib Chaudhury on his lifetime achievement in the field of environmental design research, education, and practice in environmental gerontology.

Dr. Theodore D. Cosco has been awarded funding to expand the impact of his research on increasing social connectedness amongst older adults.

The DemSCAPE project is a two phase community engaged research project aimed to develop evidence based knowledge that can be applied to communities to cultivate dementia-friendly neighbourhoods.

A new report on social isolation among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, prepared by gerontology professor Andrew Wister and co-authored by postdoctoral fellow Laura Kadowaki, addresses rates of depression and loneliness in Canada. “There is a need for digital technology education and training programs for older adults to address the existing digital divide,” says Wister. “Effective interventions to reduce social isolation among older adults are needed.”

This project seeks to bridge community agencies academic research to provide tangible tools and resources to broaden the awareness of activities connecting different generations in the North Shore to actively contribute to reducing social isolation and loneliness, while enhancing social capital, community capacity, cultural connectedness, social awareness, and social cohesion.

Simon Fraser University Gerontology Research Centre Fellow, Daniel Gan was recently awarded funding from SFU’s Community Engagement Initiative (CEI)—a fund that awards staff and faculty who lead projects that have community impact through cultivating mutually beneficial and respectful partnerships. Daniel’s project “Brain Health in Community” aims to prevent cognitive decline in older adult communities by creating programming specifically tailored to the aging population.

SFU’s Department of Gerontology Professor and CLSA lead Andrew Wister (with co-lead Assistant Professor Theodore D. Cosco) has been awarded funds to help advance his research and improve the lives of aging adults.

SFU’s Department of Gerontology Assistant Professor Theodore D. Cosco has been awarded funds to help advance his research and improve the lives of aging adults.

Theordore Cosco says: "Loneliness is associated with poor mental health outcomes, and some of the symptoms of depression are disruptions in sleep..."

Knowledge Mobilizers is a story series from the Knowledge Mobilization Hub that highlights knowledge mobilization (KM) projects around the university.