Baycrest

14 • BrainMatters • Fall/Winter 2023 REVOLUTIONIZING DEMENTIA CARE WITH POSSIBILITIES BY BAYCREST™ Dementia can be overwhelming not only for those who live with it but also for their caregivers and families who support them. Possibilities by Baycrest™ is a revolutionary new memory care model that delivers hyper-customized experiences so individuals living with cognitive changes can continue to live a life of purpose, inspiration and fulfilment. Currently operating out of the Baycrest Terraces Memory Care Unit, it is the only memory care model firmly based in cognitive neuroscience, a field of study in which the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest is a world leader. It is also backed by Baycrest's 105-year history of caring for older adults across a full continuum of dementia care services and programs. A recent, comprehensive evaluation of Possibilities by Baycrest™ highlights the model's success for Baycrest residents, their families and staff. IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS One hundred per cent of residents living and cared for within the Possibilities by Baycrest™ community have a hyper-customized Possibilities Plan that recognizes their own values and wishes, and sets out and monitors their individualized goals for an exceptional daily living experience. The model spotlights the importance of neuroscience and the use of innovation and technology to enable daily solutions that result in meaningful resident autonomy, connections and choices. Many residents have maintained and regained their abilities and interests. For example, some residents have resumed talking, shown renewed interest in previously forgotten hobbies or started feeding themselves after previously relying on caregivers to feed them. In fact, one resident showed such significant improvements in a few short months in the Possibilities by Baycrest™ community that her family was able to move her closer to home. In addition, the team utilizes a comprehensive behaviour support escalation pathway that has resulted in zero emergency room visits and zero acute care hospital admissions for residents exhibiting responsive behaviours — that is, behavioural symptoms, such as agitation and aggression, that individuals living with dementia may use as a way of communicating their unmet needs to those around them. What is different with the Possibilities by Baycrest™ approach is that day-to-day living is based on how the resident wishes to live rather than being dictated by compliance-based daily tasks and staff scheduling, like in typical institutional residential settings. Residents are given choices that represent their wishes and values. For example, residents can choose the types of recreational activities they want to participate in, with whom and at what time, instead of following a set schedule that does not meet their own needs and preferences. This results in fewer responsive behaviours and greater autonomy to choose how to spend one's day.

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