Elderella funded by CABHI, launches study

KITCHENER–WATERLOO, Ont. – Elderella, a family caregiving platform for elder care, has received funding from the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest. Awarded through CABHI’s Ignite program, the funding will support Elderella’s development and the Elderella Elder Care Study. During the study, the team will watch how families use Elderella and gather their input, so what gets built truly helps the people who need it most.

Resources built for family caregivers are scarce, and the number of people caring for an aging family member is climbing fast. In the United States, 63 million adults now provide ongoing care for an aging family member, up 45% since 2015 (AARP/National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025).

In Canada, 6.4 million people care for a dependent adult, and 74% say it affects their own health and well-being (Statistics Canada, 2024). Most carry this responsibility on their own, holding appointments, medications, and care updates in their heads, with no system to lean on.

That’s where Elderella comes in. It pulls all of an elder’s care details into one secure place, so caregivers always know what’s happening and what needs attention. Elderella also helps families build an expanded care team, sharing only what’s required to provide care.

“People kept telling me family elder care is just hard, and that no tool could change that. I’ve never believed this and got tired of waiting for someone else to build one,” said Jacqui Murphy (pictured), co-founder, Elderella. “CABHI backing this work validates our belief that people caring for elders deserve better than a notebook and group texts.”

CABHI’s Ignite program supports healthcare and research organizations, as well as early to

mid-stage start-ups, in overcoming common challenges that stall innovation. The program helps translate promising ideas into real-world solutions that improve the lives of older persons, including those impacted by dementia.

“Caregivers are essential to Canada’s healthcare system and need greater support as the number of people living with dementia continues to grow,” says James Mayer, Chief Operating Officer at CABHI. “Elderella is a great example of a novel solution with real potential to transform the lives of older persons and care partners. We’re proud to be driving it forward through our Ignite program.”

The Elderella Elder Care Study
The study invites caregivers to use Elderella with their own families and share what works. Participants receive full access to Elderella Premium for a full year, and share their experience through short surveys and conversations with the team. The study looks at three things: whether Elderella eases the strain caregivers feel, whether it improves how family-managed care teams stay coordinated, and whether it earns a lasting place in their lives.

“What we’ve realized with Elderella is we need to solve the family caregiver’s problem from end to end,” said Mike Kirkup, co-founder, Elderella. “Building it with the people who need it — and measuring whether it helps — is how we make sure we get it right. We’ll watch how family caregivers use Elderella day to day, and build from what we learn.”

Recruiting for the Elderella Elder Care Study is open now. Family caregivers can learn more and join at elderella.com/join.

About Elderella
Elderella is a family caregiving platform for elder care. It captures an elder’s care details, organizes them in one secure place so caregivers always know what’s happening and what needs attention, and helps them build an expanded care team that sees only what they choose to share. Co-founded by Jacqui Murphy and Mike Kirkup, Elderella is backed by a $150,000 grant from the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest. Learn more at elderella.com.

About CABHI
The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, was established in 2015 to support researchers, clinicians, and innovators, as they develop, validate, scale, and promote the adoption of 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.

Elderella gratefully acknowledges the support from the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation, the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Strategic Science Fund, the Ontario Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence & Security, and the Baycrest Foundation.