Over the past few years, the pandemic has shaped our lives. Our generous community of supporters helped Baycrest quickly adapt to circumstances and accelerate plans for improvements to healthcare.

 

As a result, we have discovered and adopted new ways to care, research and educate that will outlast these difficult times.

 

eVisits, Telemedicine: Donors provided Baycrest with funds, data plans and tech equipment that facilitated eVisits and Telemedicine visits. These resources continue to play a role in programming and connecting with family, friends and physicians.

 

Arts and Culture: Residents, adult day program members, Baycrest@Home clients and the Azrieli Foundation Café Europa group for Holocaust survivors stay in touch virtually for concerts and programs, almost entirely supported by donors.

 

Baycrest@Home: A unique combination of activities, stimulation and education helps older adults stay active and connected at home, along with support from social workers and recreational therapists.

 

Webinars: A webinar series provides information and support to thousands of family caregivers since the pandemic began.

 

Tech Training for Older Adults: Donor funding supported curriculum development and a pilot course.  Our Baycrest Innovation Office team assists older adults at Toronto Seniors Housing complexes, members of the Holocaust survivors group and others.

 

New technologies: Virtual Reality (VR) and the use of a projection gaming system are among the new technologies that engage, stimulate and entertain residents and patients.

 

Virtual Memory Clinic: Donor support helped to facilitate telemedicine appointments at the Sam and Ida Ross Memory Clinic. Concurrently, the Virtual Behavioural Medicine (VBM) program was established to help dementia patients in acute-care hospitals, at home or in long-term care homes in various locations.

 

We are grateful to hundreds of donors to the Safeguarding our Seniors (SOS) campaign during the pandemic.