In Canada and globally, adults 80 and older are the fastest-growing demographic. SuperAging challenges deficit-focused models of aging by highlighting adults 80+ who sustain high levels of cognitive performance (equivalent to those decades younger), communicative, and social functioning. For audiology, this raises an important question: what can be learned from these individuals to better support patients, including those living with hearing loss? This session will introduce an asset-based approach for understanding resilience in aging, drawing on data from the SuperAging Research Initiative. We will explore key factors that promote high cognitive functioning in adults aged 80 and older, including biological resilience, health behaviours, and social and environmental supports, and consider how these factors influence real-world outcomes. Hearing is situated within this broader system. Using hearing handicap measures across the cohort and real-world communication data in a subset, we will examine variability in communication participation among older adults with different hearing profiles. Case examples will demonstrate how communication, context, and adaptation interact to foster resilience. The session will conclude with clinical implications for audiology, highlighting a shift towards asset-based care that recognizes strengths, reduces ageism, and more accurately reflects how many adults 80+ live and communicate in daily life.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the concept of SuperAging and identify key drivers of cognitive and functional resilience in adults 80 and older, including biological, behavioural, and social factors.
2. Explain how hearing and communication function within resilient aging, including why hearing loss does not uniformly lead to reduced participation or functional decline.
3. Apply an asset-based, participation-centred approach to audiology practice by incorporating patient strengths and contextual factors into assessment and intervention planning for adults 80 and older.