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For immediate release
April 7, 2008

Baycrest creates Centre for Brain Fitness with $10-million investment from Ontario Government


Toronto, ONT – As Ontario braces for a doubling of its senior population over the next 20 years, it is turning to Baycrest to develop and commercialize a range of innovative products aimed at improving the brain health of aging adults.

Today the Ontario Government took a large step in this direction by announcing it is investing $10 million dollars to create the Centre for Brain Fitness at Baycrest.

Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation John Wilkinson (left) with Tony Melman, Chair of Baycrest's Board, at the funding announcement for the new Centre for Brain Fitness.
Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation John Wilkinson (left) with Tony Melman, Chair of Baycrest's Board, at the funding announcement for the new Centre for Brain Fitness.

“There are few things as frightening as the prospect of declining brain fitness as we age and the loss of our mental faculties,” said Dr. Tony Melman, Chair of Baycrest Board. “Baycrest’s strengths make it well positioned to develop innovative, market-driven research products that will transform the way we age.”

Baycrest will partner with the Toronto-based MaRS Venture Group to develop and market scientifically-proven products for the clinic, workplace and home environments.

Products in development over the next 10 years will include cognitive assessment software (in a portable computer tablet) that allows clinicians to measure in a simple and rapid manner memory and processing in people who have had a stroke, may have Alzheimer’s or other memory challenges; brain fitness products to help healthy aging adults (ages 45-75) maintain their cognitive functions, plus an additional product suite for caregivers to provide cognitive rehabilitation to people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia who live in long-term care facilities and retirement homes; executive training program for corporations wishing to help their aging employees improve cognitive functions to remain productive; and an internet-based outreach program to support people caring for loved ones with mild to medium cognitive impairment.

Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation John Wilkinson (left) with Dr. Jon Ween, medical director of the Louis and Leah Posluns Stroke and Cognition Clinic at Baycrest, and stroke survivor Tom Anderson (far right). Dr. Ween says he hopes the brain fitness tablet will become a standard diagnostic assessment tool in doctors' offices in the next five years.
Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation John Wilkinson (left) with Dr. Jon Ween, medical director of the Louis and Leah Posluns Stroke and Cognition Clinic at Baycrest, and stroke survivor Tom Anderson (far right). Dr. Ween says he hopes the brain fitness tablet will become a standard diagnostic assessment tool in doctors' offices in the next five years.

The Minister of Research and Innovation John Wilkinson made the $10-million announcement today, applauding Baycrest for its global leadership in tackling the 21st century’s most pressing health issue – cognitive decline with an aging population.

The province’s $10-million investment matches $10 million of secured and pledged commitments from private donors. Baycrest’s Foundation will launch a major campaign to raise additional funding for the new Centre for Brain Fitness.

For more information on today’s announcement, go to www.baycrest.org.

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For more information on this release, please contact:
Kelly Connelly
Senior Media Officer
Baycrest Geriatric Health Care System
kconnelly@baycrest.org
416.785.2432

 

 

 

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