Baycrest

Fidelma Serediuk, who was Chief of Physiotherapy when most of the renovations were taking place, says the teams love the extra space and work more closely together to help patients achieve their goals. The Steinbergs say their entire family – three daughters, sons-in-law and six grandchildren – are pleased about the gift to Baycrest. And just as Lewis's father motivated his friends all those years ago to donate to the children's camp, Charlotte and Lewis now hope that their recent gift will inspire others to support Baycrest. "It made us feel good," says Lewis. "We're hoping that other people will continue to give generously as well when they can see what can be done and how it improves the lives of the patients." READY FOR THE FUTURE: BAYCREST@HOME Waiting lists for long-term care homes are already lengthy in Ontario and demand is expected to rise in the decades ahead as the boomers become older. Baycrest@ Home – now in a development phase supported by generous donors – will be part of the solution. The package of Baycrest-curated products and care services will enable older adults to age at home more easily. Programs similar to those found on the Baycrest campus will be delivered to the home using the latest technologies. Not only will Baycrest@Home help physically and cognitively frail older adults, it will also lend support to their family members who need assistance with caregiving. "Our goal is to help prevent unnecessary emergency visits and hospitalizations and delay or eliminate the need for someone to go into a long-term care home," said Simon Cheesman, Director of Baycrest@Home. "We anticipate that Baycrest@Home will help reduce loneliness through social connection and creative activities, and also reduce the stress of family caregivers." For example, easy-to-use technology will allow clients to meet with friends and participate in fun and stimulating activities directly via the television in their living room. Unobtrusive sensors will monitor and assess an older adult's wellbeing, keeping loved ones informed when signs of a decline emerge. An experienced Baycrest social worker, Dr. Adriana Shnall, has been brought on board as Program Director of Clinical Programs for Baycrest@Home. She said Baycrest@ Home will help fill a void in services for families that struggle to cope when a family member receives a diagnosis of dementia or faces a debilitating chronic condition. A pilot phase is ramping up this fall. It has been made possible through the generosity of donors who support innovation at Baycrest and who – as of mid-August – included Paul and Pamela Austin, Women Friends of Baycrest with lead donor Gabi Weisfeld, and Harvey Naglie. Baycrest is also extremely grateful to a new Baycrest@ Home Founding Partners group led by Shane Grosman and Peter Seligman, which has rallied support among Toronto-area professionals who are giving generously to help address the demographic challenges ahead. "We were overwhelmed by how amazing the responses were," Grosman said. "It was clear that Baycrest@Home resonates to all different age brackets and that it will develop with a lot of practical aging feedback by people dedicated to seeing it succeed for generations to come." To find out how you can make an impact on the lives of older adults, please visit baycrestfoundation.org. BrainMatters FALL/WINTER 2019 15 Dr. Adriana Shnall "Our goal is to help prevent unnecessary emergency visits and hospitalizations..."

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