Faculty Research & Staff News

The growing popularity of at-home DNA testing kits is transforming how people understand their family histories and, at times, even their identities.

Simon Fraser University researchers are laying the groundwork for an innovative long-term care model that combines nature-based therapy with village-setting care to enhance the quality of life for people living with dementia.

Congratulations to Dr. Habib Chaudhury on this well-deserved recognition!

Congratulations to Dr. Mei Fang on receiving CIHR funding to support climate action and sustainability.

The DemSCAPE Project was recently featured in the Public Health Agency of Canada's (PHAC) 2024 Annual Report.

Congratulations to Mei Fang on receiving a 2024 Michael Smith Health Research BC Convening and Collaborating (C2) Award.

Congratulations to Andrew Wister on being recognized as a 2024 Distinguished SFU Professor!

Dr. Mei Lan Fang, Assistant Professor joins the Department of Gerontology through a joint appointment with Urban Studies, specializing in Urban Aging.

Atiya Mahmood, Professor of Gerontology at Simon Fraser University receives funding from the SSHRC Partnership Engage grant.

Theresa Pauly was selected as a delegate for the 2024 CSPC Science Meets Parliament Program.

Theresa Pauly, Assistant Professor of Gerontology at Simon Fraser University receives funding from the New Frontiers in Research Fund – International (NFRI) Program.

Although many older adults demonstrate high levels of resilience, they are also more prone to social isolation and loneliness than any other age group. Having strong social connections is especially important for mental health and well-being as we age, and is associated with lower instances of depression and anxiety.

A recent blog post by Madeleine Hebert, Senior Housing Specialist at Happy Cities, elaborates on the findings from a collaborative project between the Hey Neighbour Collective, Happy Cities, and SFU Gerontology, enhancing social connections among neighbours in multi-unit housing.

Theresa Pauly, Assistant Professor of Gerontology at Simon Fraser University receives funding from the CIHR Project Grant Program.

Dan Levitt, adjunct professor of gerontology at Simon Fraser University is the newly appointed B.C. Seniors' Advocate.

Congratulations to Associate Professor Theodore D. Cosco for receiving both the Michael Smith Health Research BC 2023 Convening & Collaborating (C2) Award and the 2023 Reach Award!

Congratulations to Professor Atiya Mahmood for receiving the 2023 Cormack Teaching Award!

A new knowledge mobilization project led by Habib Chaudhury, Lillian Hung, Cari Randa-Beaulieu, and Kishore Seetharaman, will facilitate the creation of dementia-inclusive communities.

Andrew Wister, professor and director of the Gerontology Research Centre at SFU has been awarded funding through the SSHRC Insight Grant.

Barbara Mitchell, professor of gerontology and sociology at SFU has been awarded funding through the SSHRC Insight Grant.

Gerontology assistant professor Theresa Pauly is appointed a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Social Relationships, Health, and Aging.

After more than 20 years at SFU Gerontology, our department manager Anne Marie is retiring!

Dr. Habib Chaudhury discusses the future of dementia care in Canada in an interview with Global News.

The Simon Fraser University Department of Gerontology and Gerontology Research Centre were featured at FASS Forum 2023.

A new report calls on governments to address the increasing risks of inaccessibility and unaffordability of long-term care for older persons.

Habib Chaudhury and Rachelle Patille from SFU Gerontology and Sue Carabetta from the North Shore Community Resources Society are recipients of the CERi Special Recognition Award.

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.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on older people, in terms of the number of lives lost as well as the effects of social isolation. SFU professor of mental health and aging Theodore D. Cosco is working to understand and learn from these impacts. Since the age of 12 when he began volunteering at a long-term care facility, he has had a life-long passion for gerontology and the aging process.

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.