Centre for Aging+Brain Health Innovation launches 2019 Spark Program to fund early-stage innovation
Tuesday, 14 May 2019 06:35.PM
The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), led by Baycrest, is pleased to launch its 2019 Spark program to support point-of-care workers in developing grassroots ideas & testing innovations in the field of aging and brain health.
The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), led by Baycrest, is pleased to launch its 2019 Spark program to support point-of-care workers in developing grassroots ideas & testing innovations in the field of aging and brain health.
The Spark program provides up to $50,000 (CAD) per project over 12 months to develop and refine early stage solutions or adapt and test a commercially available solution in a real-world environment. CABHI invites staff working at Canadian healthcare organizations and members of the Seniors' Quality Leap Initiative (SQLI) to apply for funding. In total, up to $2.5 million (CAD) is available across all projects.
"Point-of-care workers and service staff often have to improvise to meet the growing demands of an aging population, but because they work so closely with older adults day-in and day-out, they really understand what's needed," says Dr. Allison Sekuler, Vice-President Research, Baycrest, Sandra A. Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Managing Director at CABHI. "Their insights are critical to improve seniors' care. The Spark program enables front-line care workers to translate these improvised ideas into early stage innovations, which can make a real difference in people's health and well-being."
This year, the Spark Program is accepting applications aimed at addressing one of five priorities:
- Aging in place: solutions that enable older adults with dementia to maximize their independence so that they can age in their desired setting (e.g. by reducing falls, addressing social isolation, etc.)
- Caregiver support: solutions that support caregivers (formal and informal) in providing care to older adults with dementia
- Care coordination and navigation: solutions that help older adults, caregivers and healthcare providers to better coordinate and navigate care for older adults with dementia
- Cognitive health: solutions that improve brain/cognitive health for aging adults and/or support the identification and assessment of adults at risk for dementia/cognitive impairment
- Aging Indigenous & rural populations: solutions that address aging and brain health challenges particularly focusing on Indigenous populations and individuals living in rural and remote areas
Eligible applicants are invited to submit an expression of interest by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 5, 2019. More information is available on the CABHI website.
Funding for this program is provided by the Government of Canada through the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade, and the Baycrest Foundation.
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The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) is an innovation accelerator for the aging and brain health sector, providing funding and support to innovators for the development, testing, and dissemination of new ideas and technologies that address unmet brain health and seniors' care needs.
Baycrest is a global leader in geriatric residential living, healthcare, research, innovation and education, with a special focus on brain health and aging.