The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest is renowned for carrying out incredible work in the healthcare field.
CABHI works with and funds innovators who develop products, services, and programs to support aging and brain health, improving quality of life for older adults. To date, it has directed over $127 million toward healthcare innovations and engaged more than 78,000 older adults and caregivers with its exciting projects.
One of CABHI's latest initiatives is Leap, a virtual community that brings the lived experience and insights of older adults and caregivers to innovators who design technology solutions for the aging population. Tech Coaches is excited to be working with Leap to facilitate technology processes within the community through our Digital Literacy Clubs.
Below, we reveal more about CABHI and Leap, and how Digital Literacy Clubs are helping to bridge the technology divide.
About the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI)
CABHI is an organization powered by Toronto-based Baycrest, a leader in global healthcare, research, and innovation. Baycrest has a century-long history and boasts one of the top cognitive neuroscience research institutes in the world—the Rotman Research Institute.
CABHI’s focus is on developing solutions that drive innovation in the area of aging and brain health.
Within the organization, there is collaboration between partners from a range of sectors including research, healthcare, not-for-profit, industry, and government. The overall aim is to optimize quality of life for older generations, facilitating choices such as aging in place or residential living. Goals include maintaining cognitive health and boosting emotional and physical well-being.
As part of this focus, CABHI promotes partnerships between innovators of new technologies and relevant stakeholders, including healthcare providers, governments, and consumers. This offers a unique path for innovators to develop, test, and validate their ideas and ultimately bring the best products to market.
The Leap Community
The Leap virtual innovation community is a key CABHI initiative that forges these valuable connections. Leap connects older adults, as well as caregivers, with innovators of technology solutions designed for the aging population. The diverse community engages members online (and in the future in-person once safe to do so), providing older adults with the opportunity to learn about new technology and share their experiences and insights with others.
This unique process results in products that are heavily influenced by the people who really need them, with Leap serving innovators and end users alike.
Innovators have the opportunity to gain feedback and insight on their products or research areas, ensuring that their solutions are relevant, speeding up the product development and refinement process, and supporting faster adoption in market. This can save a significant amount of time and money for companies bringing products to market.
And those providing feedback get a huge amount in return. They learn about new technologies, form social connections, and feel a sense of pride and purpose in helping develop innovations that enhance quality of life for their peers.
While some similar organizations are selective about members, CABHI embraces diversity in its Leap community and welcomes people from all backgrounds, age groups, and levels of digital literacy. It acknowledges that digital literacy is paramount to participation and is taking action to level the playing field. According to CABHI:
“We embrace the reality that digital literacy is essential for older adults to stay engaged and have equitable access to innovative solutions that will make their own aging experience better and more on their own terms.”
How Tech Coaches Digital Literacy Clubs Are Helping
At Tech Coaches, our mission is to educate, inform, and enable the aging population through a variety of technological literacy programs. We have many years of experience in adult education and are passionate about empowering lifelong learners with the confidence to participate fully in today’s digital world.
Tech Coaches works with a wide range of organizations interested in delivering technology literacy to older adults, including senior centres, healthcare organizations, community centres, veteran associations, libraries, and more.
Our Digital Literacy Clubs are conducted via Zoom and provide an informal, interactive environment for older adults to learn technology basics.
Because the needs of each audience vary widely based on factors such as the experience level of group members, we customize our sessions to cover a variety of topics that suit an organization’s unique vision for the program. Topics may include emailing, texting, Windows, online safety, and more.
Digital Literacy Clubs have helped bridge the digital divide for older adults, boosting confidence among participants and initiating connection and conversation around technology use. Sessions are designed for positive learning and include a question and answer component to ensure participants are comfortable with the teachings.
Tech Coaches is proudly working with CABHI to provide Digital Literacy Clubs to LEAP members.
How to Be a Part of Leap
Are you interested in joining the Leap community? Or do you know someone who could benefit from this initiative?
Companies, innovators, and researchers can get involved by contacting CABHI directly via email (info@cabhi.com).
If you’re an older adult or caregiver who wants to participate, joining the program is simple. Visit the Leap webpage and complete the registration form. It’s completely free.
The best part? All Leap members are eligible to join the Tech Coaches Digital Literacy Club. Once you’ve signed up to the community, you will have access to our weekly sessions as well as other programs and events hosted by Leap.
Looking for more information about CABHI, Leap, or Digital Literacy Clubs? Contact us to find out more.