Baycrest

Introducing Baycrest Health Sciences New model enhances integration of care, research and education Ask Karima Velji to describe how she imagines the geriatric care facility of the not-toodistant future and the first words that come to her mind are mobility, participation and engagement. In choosing these words, the vice-president of Clinical and Residential Programs and chief nursing executive at Baycrest is describing a place where seniors are fully engaged in life — keeping physically and mentally fit; learning new skills; interacting with others; making choices about how they want to live the remainder of their lives; and having their culture, history and individuality honoured and respected. The future of aging is being created at Baycrest today. Introduced this year, Baycrest Health Sciences (BHS) is an academic health-care delivery system designed to take our vision of successful aging and turn it into a reality for millions, at home and around the world. Enhancement of mobility is one of eight "big dot" measures we will be using to assess how well the new system is performing for those we serve at Baycrest. The new system enhances the integration of clinical care, research and education in patient population-focused, interdisciplinary centres and programs that provide a continuum of health care, wellness and prevention. Patients, family caregivers, health-care providers, scientists, educators and industry are linked in a model that will drive the development of innovative "next" practices in geriatric medicine globally. BHS has been identified by the Ontario government as its strategic partner for the introduction and testing of innovative models of care delivery and services to the senior population. Baycrest Health Sciences is comprised of the Rotman Research Institute, The Centre for Knowledge Exchange in Aging (see page 13), and the following clinical centres and programs: Centre for Memory and Neurotherapeutics It is expected that dementia will have affected 115.4 million people by 2050. This Centre's integrated research, clinical and educational programs provide insights to help identify the "next generation" of interventions for maintaining healthy memory and other cognitive functions. Centre for Mental Health This Centre investigates the causes and effects of mood disorders and develops and applies new prevention and treatment techniques. A specialized mental health team works closely with practitioners who are providing primary care in community settings. The team also offers technology-enabled consultation province-wide, as well as patient assessments. Residential and Aging at Home Program This Program provides an array of community-based services that serve as models of care to enable seniors to successfully "age at home." Combining residential care at Baycrest with programs we provide to the community enhances that all-important continuum of care for seniors, some of whom will eventually move from their community to either an assistive living facility like the Terraces at Baycrest or a long-term care home, such as Baycrest's Apotex Centre. continued on page 10 "It is a basic paradigm of treating geriatric patients that you need a team." 9

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