By Nicole Pacampara
It’s no secret that point-of-care staff and caregivers are aware of the wide range of challenges that older adults face – from loss of independence due to cognitive decline to the inability to do basic everyday tasks. As the country’s population ages, there’s a growing need for innovative ideas to improve the quality of life and care for an aging demographic. Who better to develop these innovative ideas than clinical staff, managers, researchers, and caregivers who hold extensive knowledge and key insights into what can be transformed in this sector?
Last month, the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, announced the return of the Spark program, CABHI’s funding program supporting the development of grassroots solutions solving real-world healthcare challenges. Project applications are now open to point-of-care staff (workers, managers, researchers) working at Canadian healthcare delivery organizations and informal caregivers. Successful applicants will receive up to $50,000 (CAD) in funding over 12 months to help develop, refine, and implement these innovations.
This year, the Spark program is accepting applications aimed at addressing one or more of the following innovation themes:
- Caregiver Support: Solutions that support caregivers (formal and informal) in their care for older adults living with dementia
- Aging in Place: Solutions that enable older adults with dementia to maximize their independence so they can age in their desired setting
- Care Coordination & Navigation: Solutions that help older adults, caregivers, and healthcare providers to better coordinate and navigate care for older adults with dementia
- Cognitive & Mental 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
- Financial Health & Wellness: Helping older adults remain financially independent, stay safe in the workforce longer, seek later-life employment, prepare for retirement, and prevent financial exploitation
Beyond financial support, the Spark program offers CABHI’s Acceleration Services including tailored coaching, mentorship, networking, and end-user validation through CABHI’s Leap community for older adults and caregivers.
Past Spark innovations include:
- Advancing Reminiscence Therapy through Virtual Reality Application to Promote the Social Connectedness of Persons with Dementia – An innovative framework prototype that aims to improve the implementation of reminiscence therapy for persons with dementia through customizable, immersive virtual reality experiences.
- LiveWell@Home: Virtual GERAS DANCE to improve health and build the resilience of seniors in our community – A new model of care delivered virtually in a senior-friendly online community. It is built on the success of GERAS DANCE, an evidence-based, clinically proven mind and body health program for older adults.
- Virtual Micro-Credentialing for Unregulated Care Providers – A 12-week part-time micro-credentialed certificate designed to teach the basics of geriatric care to unregulated healthcare providers and assess the benefits and educational outcomes of a virtual 12-week certificate program. The course is delivered through an established virtual learning platform (ALPHA/LIPHA), which uses a simulated educational environment to foster effective, interactive, and motivated learning.
Do you have an idea to improve seniors’ care? Take advantage of this opportunity to move your innovation forward! Submit your application by Friday, December 2, 2022. To learn more and to apply to the Spark program, visit www.cabhi.com/spark.
Nicole Pacampara is a Digital Marketing and Communications Specialist at the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI).
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