TORONTO, June 25, 2024 /CNW/ - Baycrest has received a tremendous gift from The Slaight Family Foundation to further the organization's work to defeat dementia.

This gift comes at a critical time. Governments around the world are struggling to meet the demand for healthcare services now, and things are about to get worse. Nearly one million Canadians will be living with dementia by the year 2030, a staggering 65 per cent increase from 2020¹, and their caregivers are potentially six times more likely to develop dementia themselves².

We know that changes in the brain that cause dementia can start decades before symptoms appear³. We also know that modifiable risk factors are creating 40% of dementia cases worldwide⁴. This is why many of the Baycrest initiatives funded by The Slaight Family Foundation will focus on addressing the modifiable risk factors for dementia before symptoms appear.

Baycrest is uniquely positioned in Canada to lead these initiatives with more than 105 years of experience in providing world-class research and care for older adults. With the support of The Slaight Family Foundation, we will expand and enhance the following projects over the next three years:

• The Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health & Wellness, the first and only research-driven brain health community centre that will create personalized dementia prevention programs for healthy and at-risk individuals aged 50+, including those from diverse communities outside the Baycrest campus;
• Streamline and improve access to medical and non-medical dementia specialists;
• A new Baycrest App dedicated to caregivers of people with dementia to help them see where they are doing well and where they need support, and then provide links to evidence-based local, provincial and national resources;
• Free online cognition and hearing assessments;
• In-person and virtual brain health seminars and discussion clubs; podcasts and interactive events in Ontario and across Canada;
• A new leading-edge portal that will become the "front door" to all the programs and services above.

"Baycrest is extremely grateful to The Slaight Family Foundation for recognizing the urgent need for innovation and transformation in the care and treatment of people living with dementia and their families. The Slaight Family Foundation's vision is truly inspirational and our teams at Baycrest look forward to making a profound impact," said Josh Cooper, President and Chief Executive Officer, Baycrest Foundation.

"The Slaight Family Foundation has always believed in the importance of supporting healthcare initiatives with lasting impact," said Gary Slaight, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Slaight Family Foundation. "By investing in Baycrest's pioneering dementia care and prevention programs, we aim to help improve the lives of countless families affected by dementia. We are proud to support Baycrest's mission to enhance brain health and provide innovative solutions to the challenges of an ageing society."

Sources:

1. https://alzheimer.ca/sites/default/files/documents/Landmark-Study-1-Path-Forward-Alzheimer-Society-of-Canada-2022-wb.pdf
2. https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02806.x
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7392084/;  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8783169/#:~:text=A%20meta%2Danalysis%20study%20revealed,%25%E2%80%9383%25%5B20%5D; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31441938/
4. Ibid.
    

About Baycrest

Baycrest is an internationally recognized leader providing exceptional seniors health and residential care with a strategic focus on brain health and aging. Baycrest programs are devoted to holistic aging health, active dementia prevention, early detection of cognitive decline, and treatment and care for physical and cognitive frailty, dementia and other brain disorders. Baycrest leads Canada's largest federally funded dementia research program (CCNA), co-chaired the inaugural Government of Canada's Dementia Advisory Board tasked with developing the nation's dementia strategy, and provides training in "next generation" older adult care across the world. We strive to defeat dementia and create a world where every older adult enjoys a life of purpose, inspiration and fulfilment. For more information, visit baycrest.org.

About The Slaight Family Foundation

The Slaight Family Foundation was established in 2008 by John Allan Slaight and his son Gary Slaight. Allan Slaight (1931-2021), known as Canada's broadcast pioneer, was a leader in the music industry and a prominent Canadian philanthropist. Through the Slaight family's generosity, the foundation proactively supports charitable initiatives in healthcare, at-risk youth, international development, social services and culture. Gary Slaight oversees the Foundation as President & CEO.

SOURCE Baycrest