CABHI awards $2.6M for brain health solutions

TORONTO – The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, is awarding $2.6 million to 26 Canadian healthcare and community-based organizations across the country, enabling them to embed leading-edge brain health innovations into their operations with the goal of providing better care for older persons – including those living with dementia.

This new funding through CABHI’s Discover + Adopt (D+A) program will help recipients build the skills and operational support necessary to successfully integrate innovative solutions that promote healthy aging and brain health into care settings, made possible through support from the Government of Canada’s Strategic Science Fund. $5.9 million in funding has been awarded through the D+A program since 2022.

“Research and innovation empower people to age well, reduce healthcare costs, and create Canadian jobs,” said Dr. Allison Sekuler (pictured), president and chief scientist of CABHI and the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education (BARE).

“By helping organizations adopt innovative solutions into care settings through applied research and tailored support services, CABHI’s Discover + Adopt program is building Canada strong while addressing the increasingly complex needs of our aging population.”

Canada’s population is aging rapidly: nearly 20% of Canadians are age 65 or older. Along with associated rising rates of dementia, this trend is expected to cost Canadians over $110 billion annually by 2050 (Dementia in Canada: Economic Burden 2020 to 2050).

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) warns that healthcare staffing levels, already under significant strain, will not be able to keep up with the growing demand for workers skilled in providing care for older persons living with cognitive decline.

“As the Canadian population is aging, it is central that the health care system seeks innovative solutions to adapt to increasing complex care needs and improve health outcomes for everyone,” said health minister Marjorie Michel.

“Our partnership with the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation helps bring meaningful solutions directly into care settings that can make a real difference in the lives of older people and those who support them.”

Research and innovation that promote better brain health and prevent cognitive decline are shown to reduce caregiver burden, empower people to age independently, and maximize strained staffing levels in long-term care and hospitals.

However, many organizations lack the knowledge and support they need to source, test, and implement solutions that improve their ability to serve older persons. Rising operational costs, paired with insufficient staffing levels, are presenting serious operational challenges in care settings – Canadian innovators are answering the call for fresh ideas that drive real-world impact.

“Innovative solutions are critical to improving care delivery, while reducing long-term costs and driving up efficiencies,” said the Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly. “The government of Canada is proud to invest in CABHI’s Discover + Adopt program through the Strategic Science Fund. This investment will allow organizations to adopt groundbreaking solutions that promote healthy aging and a more sustainable economy.”

The current D+A program cohort consists of 26 healthcare and community-based organizations across Canada, with representation in eight provinces and territories.

As part of the program, CABHI facilitated a match between each participating organization and an innovative solution specifically designed to address a challenge that is negatively impacting that organization’s ability to provide quality care to older persons.

Over the next year, CABHI will provide direct support to each organization as they work to integrate their chosen solution into their operations, including a tailored learning series to support successful implementation, one-on-one coaching sessions, and networking opportunities.

More information about participating organizations is available on the CABHI website.

About the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation:
The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, was established in 2015 to support researchers, clinicians, and innovators, as they develop and adopt transformative innovations that improve the lives of older persons, including those impacted by dementia. CABHI is a unique collaboration of healthcare, science, industry, not-for-profit, and government partners. Through its funding programs and tailored acceleration services, including access to diverse end-user groups, CABHI advances transformative aging and brain health innovations across Canada and the world. For more information, visit: www.cabhi.com.

About Baycrest:
Baycrest is an internationally recognized academic health sciences organization based in Toronto, focused on aging and brain health.

Baycrest brings together a post-acute care hospital, long-term care, senior living, memory care, research and education — supporting older adults, caregivers and others on the journey of aging. This integrated ecosystem allows care, discovery and learning to inform one another, improving lives today while shaping how aging is understood and supported tomorrow.

Guided by a vision of a world where every older person lives with purpose, fulfilment and dignity, Baycrest translates knowledge into practice, advances specialized care and shares its expertise with health systems, partners and communities in Canada and around the world.

The future of aging is here.

About the Discover + Adopt program:
The Discover + Adopt (D+A) program supports healthcare and community-based organizations in building their skills and receptivity to adopt innovation within their settings. In addition to funding, participants receive training and coaching to find, introduce, implement, and sustain high-quality innovative solutions that address their pain points. To learn more about previous D+A program participants, solution matches, and assessments, read the new D+A Solutions Catalogue.