Baycrest

The fight against dementia Continued from cover "All of the centre's future programming is backed by research that provides evidence of its benefits," says Dr. Chertkow, who has extensive involvement in leading these types of studies as the scientific director of the largest national dementia study, the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging. "Through the Kimel Family Centre's unique environment, clinicians and researchers will be able to closely track the effectiveness of these prevention regimens." The centre also will bolster new and existing research initiatives at Baycrest. It will serve as a testing ground for new technologies supported by the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), a solution accelerator powered by Baycrest. As well, clients and community members will have the opportunity to be closely linked to a new Clinical Trials Unit that will provide access to groundbreaking drug and non-drug interventions. "The new Kimel Family Centre will be focused on a holistic approach to health and wellness," says Dr. Sekuler. "We hope to end up with a longevity prescription for each individual that incorporates their background, interests and genetic make-up - not just for people to live longer, but also to live better." 12 B aycrest research assistant Chanile Vines remembers how disoriented she felt when her grandmother was diagnosed with dementia. "My family left the hospital with only a pamphlet about dementia and no next steps," Vines recalls. "We really struggled." Inspired by her own caregiving experience, Vines began volunteering at Baycrest's Dementia Helpline for Families. She developed a series of questions to help callers pinpoint resources, and realized this toolkit could be part of an actual product. The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, awarded a $50,000 Spark grant for development and testing of her app called iTAV: It Takes a Village. How iTAV works: Friends and family receive alerts when help with a certain task is needed, and caregivers can source additional support from services in their area. Useful features include a community programs locator, caregiving training resources, a medical appointments calendar, a smart journal, and a goal-tracking tool. Adding spark to a good idea at CABHI Millicent Williams Chanile Vines

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