Advancing hearing health through social connection research
The Gerontology Research Centre (GRC) at Simon Fraser University is pleased to announce that Andrew Wister, director of the GRC and professor in the Department of Gerontology, has been awarded a $97K research grant from Canadian Hearing Services’ Global Partnerships for Research & Innovation.
This funding will support new research examining how social relationships, participation, and support networks are affected by, and influence, hearing‑health experiences and outcomes among older adults. The project will be carried out in collaboration with Wister’s research team, including postdoctoral fellow Julie Beadle, who will play a key role in advancing the study’s design, analysis, and knowledge mobilization efforts.
The grant supports Wister’s project, Staying connected: How social support, social participation, social isolation, and loneliness can make a difference in hearing care access and outcomes. This research will explore how social environments shape hearing‑health experiences, with a particular focus on understanding how social isolation, loneliness, and access to support networks affect hearing‑care access and overall well‑being.
Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic conditions affecting older adults, and its impact extends far beyond communication challenges. Reduced social participation, increased loneliness, and barriers to accessing hearing care can significantly affect quality of life. Wister’s project will generate new evidence to inform hearing‑health delivery, community programming, and policy development aimed at reducing inequities and improving outcomes for aging populations.
As part of this announcement, Canadian Hearing Services (CHS) shared their perspective on the importance of the collaboration and the research it will support. “We are proud to award this research grant to Andrew Wister, Ph.D., Simon Fraser University, for a project that has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life and strengthen accessibility for people with hearing loss. We look forward to seeing the results of this important study and congratulate the lead researcher and their team on advancing such meaningful work,” said Julia N. Dumanian, President & Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Hearing Services.
Wister notes that the project will deepen the understanding of how social relationships and support systems influence hearing‑health outcomes, particularly among older adults who may face compounding barriers. The involvement of emerging scholars such as postdoctoral fellow Julie Beadle further strengthens the project’s capacity to generate high‑quality evidence and support innovation in hearing‑health research. The findings are expected to guide practice and policy developments that strengthen hearing‑loss resilience and promote healthier aging.
This award is part of the CHS Global Partnerships for Research & Innovation’s 2026 funding announcement, which includes four new research grants supporting projects that advance hearing health, deaf studies, and quality‑of‑life research across Canada and internationally.
The Gerontology Research Centre continues to lead nationally and internationally in aging research, with a longstanding commitment to advancing knowledge that improves the lives of older adults. Wister’s project reflects this mission by addressing a growing public health priority and contributing evidence that supports more inclusive and accessible hearing‑health systems.