Ontario Supports Research to Help Improve the Quality of Life for Seniors

Ontario Supports Research to Help Improve the Quality of Life for Seniors

The focus will be on brain health-related issues such as dementia and Alzheimer’s

The Voice of Canada News-TORONTO — The Ontario government is investing $23.5 million over the next five years to help the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, improve the quality of life for seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The funding will support innovative research and programs to help seniors with brain health-related issues live at home longer and reduce the cost of care delivery.

“Ontario’s research organizations are at the forefront of discoveries that advance knowledge, drive progress and create a better future for the people of Ontario,” said Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “By providing funding to CABHI, we are supporting innovative research and programs that can help our aging population deal with brain health related issues, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.”

Ontario’s investment will also address challenges that have arisen for seniors and their caregivers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including social isolation, increased caregiver stress, and difficulty maintaining seniors’ cognitive, mental and physical health.

CABHI’s research and commercialization mandate also supports promising innovations that are ready to grow and move beyond their initial pilot projects. It will also help researchers scale up and bring healthcare technologies for older adults and those with dementia to domestic and international markets.

“CABHI is proud to continue its close collaboration with Ontario, and to formalize our ties with the provincial research sector through this new partnership with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities,” said Dr. Allison Sekuler, Managing Director, CABHI and Sandra A. Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Vice-President of Research, Baycrest. “CABHI’s vision – to help older people live their best possible lives – has only grown more important during the pandemic. The Ontario government’s investment expands our ability to meet older adults’ needs for improved care and quality of life and helps ensure Ontario companies grow, prosper, and help rebuild the post-pandemic economy.”

“The combined efforts of government, healthcare providers and innovators are needed to reimagine how we support older adults at every point on their aging journey,” said Dr. William Reichman, President and CEO of Baycrest. “Together, we will realize improved quality of life and other essential benefits such as managed care delivery costs and growth opportunities for Ontario-based researchers and entrepreneurs.”

With this investment, Ontario is prioritizing intellectual property creation, protection and commercialization that will benefit Ontario’s researchers, entrepreneurs, seniors and caregivers for years to come. This investment will aid in stimulating the province’s economy and supporting COVID-19 recovery efforts, by creating new jobs, technologies and products, and enhancing collaboration in the aging and brain health sector.

QUICK FACTS

In 2019, 2.5 million seniors aged 65 and over lived in Ontario, accounting for 17 per cent of the province’s population. By 2046, Ontario’s population of seniors is expected to almost double to 4.5 million.
In Ontario, over 240,000 people live with dementia, and this number is expected to grow as the population continues to age.
The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) is a unique organization that brings together government, healthcare, science, industry, and not-for-profit partners to accelerate innovation, collaboration and commercialization in the aging and brain health sector. Its goal is to help improve the quality of life for the world’s aging population by addressing unmet brain health and seniors’ care needs.
The Ontario government is committed to protecting seniors and helping them stay in their homes longer. In the 2020 Budget, the government unveiled a new Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit for 2021. The tax credit will provide seniors a 25 per cent credit on eligible renovations of up to $10,000 regardless of their incomes, to help make their homes safer and more accessible.