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The Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), in collaboration with Baycrest Health Sciences, announced 26 new projects receiving more than $8.3 million in investment support to accelerate solutions that can help to improve the quality of life and care for older adults with dementia and cognitive health issues. The Bruyère Research Institute (BRI) is being funded for four projects that were selected, including the Java Program in retirement living environments, motivating engagement for physical activity in older adults, using technology to monitor night-time wandering amongst persons with dementia and deprescribing.
The first is a $250,000 knowledge mobilization partnership grant that will enable two Java Programs, the Java Music Club and the Java Memory Care program, to be implemented in long-term care and retirement homes in Ontario. The Java Music Club is a weekly peer support group for those living with early stage dementia that uses themes chosen by participants to facilitate sharing and emotional support, music, readings and photographs. The Java Memory Care program is adapted for residents with moderate to advanced dementia. Both programs have shown success in alleviating loneliness and depression. Three workshops will provide coaching and training to homes ensuring high quality recreation programs across the province. The project is a collaboration between the Centers for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care, Bruyère Continuing Care's Therapeutic Support Services, Carleton University and the Java Program. The benefits to the individual residents (psychosocial and cognitive health outcomes) of the Java Memory Care program will also be evaluated.
Motiview is an activity based healthcare solution by Motitech Norway built on the premise that many of the challenges faced by older adults and people with dementia may be caused by inactivity. Drs. Heidi Sveistrup and Frank Knoefel, along with partners from Baycrest and West Park Health Care Centre, will assess Motiview’s ability to stimulate older adults and people with dementia to increase their physical activity. By using videos, music and sound, the user can take a virtual bicycle trip through familiar surroundings and memories while facilitating activity participation and adherence in the older adult. This study will received $375,000 in funding from CABHI to match the investment made by the industry partner.
The third study that will be taking place is using technology to monitor night-time wandering amongst persons with dementia. Under the leadership of Dr. Frank Knoefel, BRI, and Dr. Rafik Goubran, Carleton University, this project will validate a wander detection and diversion system comprised of low-cost sensors embedded in the home to identify wandering activity and guide persons with dementia back to their bedroom at night. To support this study, $135,000 has been provided over one and a half years.
Finally, older adults and people with dementia commonly take multiple medications (>five) which are no longer needed or may be causing harm; this is called polypharmacy. Evidence-based deprescribing guidelines address polypharmacy and associated harms by providing health care providers with evidence to support decision-making for specific medications and offering safe ways to reduce dosage and monitor effects. The project will be led by Dr. Barbara Farrell, scientist at the BRI and pharmacist at Bruyère’s John and Jennifer Ruddy Geriatric Day Hospital, and a team of investigators from the BRI, across Canada and Australia. Through a multi-faceted mobilization strategy, the aim is to improve problematic polypharmacy, related health outcomes and quality of life of older adults. As part of this project, $248,000 will be spent on building capacity for the development, implementation and evaluation of deprescribing guidelines.
Thanks to the support of CABHI and its funders, these innovations will be developed to have a significant impact on the quality of life for older adults in Canada. We acknowledge the generous funding provided by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science, by the Government of Canada through the Public Health Agency of Canada, and by the Baycrest Foundation, which enables CABHI to administer all of their funding programs.
About the Bruyère Research Institute
The Bruyère Research Institute supports investigators who contribute to a better, more responsive health care system that delivers the best care to patients and families. The Institute is a proud partner of Bruyère Continuing Care, the University of Ottawa and others and provides solutions to improve the health and health care of aging and vulnerable Canadians. The Institute’s research focuses primarily on evidence, health system evaluation, brain health, geriatrics and rehabilitation, primary care, palliative care, and global health.
www.bruyere.org/bri
For more information, please contact:
Amy Porteous
Tel.: 613-562-6262, ext. 4040
aporteous@bruyere.org
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