Call for organizations: CABHI offers Canadian healthcare organizations up to $150,000 CAD to adopt innovation

TORONTO, April 22, 2025 /CNW/ - The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, is now accepting applications from healthcare organizations to join the latest cohort of the Discover + Adopt (D+A) program.

CABHI's D+A program offers up to $150,000 CAD in funding to Canadian healthcare organizations (e.g., long-term care homes, retirement homes, hospitals, home care, and community-based settings) so they can build their capacity to find, test, and adopt an innovative solution to improve the quality of life and quality of care for those they serve.

"To build a resilient and sustainable health system, we must scale proven solutions that support older persons and the workforce that cares for them," said Dr. Allison Sekuler, President and Chief Scientist at CABHI and the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education. "CABHI's Discover + Adopt program equips healthcare organizations across Canada with the funding and support they need to implement evidence-based innovations—strengthening care, advancing health equity, and fueling growth in Canada's brain health economy."

Innovative solutions that could significantly improve the lives of older persons are being developed every day, yet many fail to make it into the healthcare organizations that need them most. While organizations are open to adopting new ideas and innovations, they often lack the dedicated capacity, resources, or processes to do so effectively and in a way that aligns with their existing workflow and priorities. In addition to providing funding of up to $150,000 CAD, CABHI addresses barriers to innovation adoption by offering participating organizations the following services:

• A learning series with practical tools and guidance on how to build readiness for implementation, evaluation, and sustainability planning
• One-on-one coaching sessions to navigate implementation challenges
• Peer-to-peer learning and networking opportunities
• Opportunities to engage in knowledge mobilization events and contribute to knowledge products to share their insights on innovation adoption

As part of the program, CABHI facilitates a matchmaking process, connecting each participating D+A healthcare organization with innovators with promising solutions, ensuring organizations can select and trial a solution that meets their unique pain points.

"The Discover + Adopt program is a fantastic opportunity for innovative mindsets across the healthcare system to unleash their creativity for transformation at the early stages of conceptualization," said former D+A program participant Callum Tyrell, Vice President of System Integration, Innovation and Engagement at Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCHC). "The program allowed us to access funds and resources to help focus and dedicate time and energy towards thinking outside the box and daring to do things differently. It helped enable curiosity."

For example, SCHC was searching for an innovation to improve effective staff communication with clients experiencing cognitive decline and/or differing communication abilities. The D+A program matched SCHC with Kaleidoscope XR for Caregiver VR: A platform that enables live role-playing simulations between trainer and trainee acting as either caregiver or resident in front of a virtual classroom of students. Through using Caregiver VR, SCHC noted improvements in client access to care and support, client experience, confidence in care, cost-effectiveness of the healthcare system, cost-utility of the healthcare system, and ultimately in the quality of life of clients.

With CABHI's D+A program, healthcare organizations can get closer to introducing, implementing, and sustaining innovation in their own settings. Healthcare organizations that serve older persons and meet the additional eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply to the D+A program by May 16, 2025.

About the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation:
The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, was established in 2015 to support researchers, clinicians, and innovators, as they develop and adopt transformative innovations that improve the lives of older persons, including those impacted by dementia. CABHI is a unique collaboration of healthcare, science, industry, not-for-profit, and government partners. Through its funding programs and tailored acceleration services, including access to diverse end-user groups, CABHI advances transformative aging and brain health innovations across Canada and the world. For more information, visit: www.cabhi.com.

About Baycrest
At Baycrest, our vision is a world where every older person lives with purpose, fulfilment and dignity. Baycrest is a global leader in aging and brain health innovation, with over 105 years of expertise in seniors' care and cutting-edge research. Baycrest has been Designated with Exemplary Status by Accreditation Canada and drives industry-leading care and safety outcomes. As the home of the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education (BARE) and the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, Baycrest is at the forefront of dementia research. Affiliated with the University of Toronto, Baycrest's training programs shape the future of care globally, while Baycrest Global Solutions extends its expertise to senior living and healthcare internationally. For more information, visit: baycrest.org.

SOURCE Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation

Media Contact: Natasha Nacevski-Laird, Media Relations Specialist, [email protected]