Grant: College and Community Innovation Program

In nations around the world, older adults are the fastest growing age group. Canada is no different: by 2031, adults aged 65 and older will comprise nearly 21% of all Ontarians and between 23 and 25% of all Canadians. While we celebrate the success of increasing life spans, we must also respond to the challenges of providing appropriate care and support for older adults. How we ensure optimum health and well-being for older Canadians is a question that we need to address immediately to prepare for this imminent ""age wave."" Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, through the Sheridan Elder Research Centre (SERC), is spearheading innovative approaches to promoting health and well-being for older Canadians and their families. By partnering with regional industries, SERC will explore ways to effectively support small to medium-sized business enterprises as they respond to the significant market opportunities presented by this demographic phenomenon. The results of these collaborative research partnerships are expected to help older adults to age as well and as healthy as possible wherever they reside. This initiative will embrace several unique projects to design technology applications that promote cognitive health and social inclusion. Capitalizing on the strength of the Sheridan Institute's faculty and students across disciplines and drawing on SERC's strong track record of transforming research for older adults from Lab to Life, this College and Community Innovation grant will translate research into reality through close collaborations with local and regional businesses and community organizations.