Professor Wijekoon's research delves into the intricate relationship between aging, social marginalization, and participation. Her program of research recognizes that older adults do not constitute a uniformly homogeneous group, as the opportunities and experiences available to them are shaped by intersecting social and structural factors.

By focusing on the experiences of marginalized older adults, particularly those who are racialized and immigrants, professor Wijekoon uncovers the complex factors that shape their participation in everyday life. Drawing on critical and anti-oppressive frameworks, she challenges the idea that participation difficulties are simply due to individual limitations. Instead, her work highlights how social structures and systems create barriers—and investigates how these systems can be transformed to promote equity and inclusion as people age. 

A central theme in her work is aging out of place—the experience of older adults who age in environments that no longer reflect or support their cultural identities, social ties, or sense of belonging. This dislocation may result from systemic factors such as migration, gentrification, exclusionary policies, or transitions into institutional care, as well as more personal changes like relocating to live with adult family members. Professor Wijekoon is particularly concerned with how these disruptions affect older adults’ sense of continuity, and how this, in turn, influences participation in daily life, belonging, and well-being