TORONTO, June 25, 2024 – 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.