Baycrest

10 BrainMatters FALL|WINTER 2020 THE POWER OF GIVING T he need to lend support to seniors in our community and their families became strikingly evident over the past few months. Even before the pandemic, older adults with dementia or other health issues and their family caregivers were frequently isolated, and in need of care and resources. Baycrest@Home and a Virtual Memory Clinic are two projects in the pilot stage at Baycrest that were imagined and launched long before the pandemic hit. Now, these support systems, generously funded by donors, have a greater raison d'être. AT-HOME DAY PROGRAMS Baycrest@Home is developing an array of programs and services for older adults and their families, including a Virtual Adult Day Program geared to people in need of recreational therapy, health services and social interaction. Some of the first participants are from in-person adult day programs temporarily closed due to the pandemic. As different components are tested and receive feedback, the program will be rolled out to more people in the community. For emotional connection, it includes a storytelling program, concerts, social clubs and reminiscence groups. Therapeutic activities include creative movement and art, health promotion sessions and caregiver support groups. Baycrest@Home is being created thanks to visionary donors who recognized the need for more assistance for seniors, well before the pandemic emergency began. One of the earliest supporters was The Slaight Family Foundation, which last year launched a $30 million seniors' initiative that partners 13 Toronto hospitals with community organizations, supports programs from four national organizations serving seniors and created the Allan Slaight Seniors Fund at the United Way, Greater Toronto to pilot new services and programs that will keep seniors in their homes and communities longer. "Seniors are Canada's fastest growing demographic, yet a very under-supported and vulnerable population. Finding new ways of assisting seniors, particularly those who have trouble accessing our health and social services due to poverty or other barriers, is essential to helping keep people healthier longer and in their own communities," says Gary Slaight, president and CEO of The Slaight Family Foundation. Baycrest is extending its reach for the Baycrest@ Home project by partnering with Unison Health and Community Services, and by collaborating with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Loft Community Services. "We are striving to create a program that will reach as many people as possible, and become a sustainable and scalable program that improves the lives of older adults and families well beyond the immediate crisis," says Faith Malach, executive director of Behaviour Supports and Memory Care Programs at Baycrest. Sid Kardash and his wife, Cally, moved from Ottawa to Toronto recently to be near Baycrest's adult day program after Cally developed mild cognitive impairment. When the program was suspended due to the pandemic, they switched to virtual offerings that include exercise programs, classes in Tai Chi and dance. A group for spouses that Sid attended has been able to continue meeting virtually to compare notes and situations. "I look forward to the Tuesday sessions. I've made some social connections there, too," he says. "Could the experience of the program itself be applied in normal times? The answer is 'absolutely.'"

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