By USDR
The future of medicine will rely heavily on collaboration and cooperation between hospitals, care facilities, institutions, medical schools and even drug manufacturers. In Canada, where the senior population is outpacing any other demographic in terms of growth, these strategic collaborations will help alleviate the stress on the current healthcare system, while also implementing long term strategies to deal with diverse health needs.
Located in downtown Toronto, the Baycrest Health Sciences Centre is not only a groundbreaking centre for the largest Canadian city, it is also a global leader in geriatric residential living, healthcare, research, innovation and education, with a special focus on brain health and aging.
Originally founded in 1918 as the Jewish Home for Aged, Baycrest has grown into a state of the art health facility that offers specialized care for the elderly population of the world’s most diverse city.
“More than 60,000 clients visit Baycrest annually… with approximately 70 percent coming from outside the Jewish community,” said Dr. William Reichman, Baycrest president and CEO.
Creating a world class health facility necessitates a host of community partners, which is why Baycrest is also an academic health sciences centre fully affiliated with the University of Toronto.
This unique partnership exposes Baycrest’s patients to cutting edge medical expertise for aging clients, and also provides opportunities for in-depth and extensive clinical training programs, which has asserted Baycrest as one of the world’s top research institutes in cognitive neuroscience.
Another invaluable community partner of Baycrest, is Apotex, a leading Canadian generic pharmaceutical manufacturer. In 2000, the Canadian drug maker established the Apotex Centre facility designed to accommodate 372 long-term care residents and another 100 beds for the Centre for Cognitive Disorders.
The award winning facility boasts 36 semi-autonomous, home-like clusters, each comprised of twelve private bedrooms and a living room and dining room. The space also features a winter garden in the centre of the complex, providing an all season gathering place. Additionally there are another three indoor, protected courtyard gardens that have been specially created to meet the needs of those with Alzheimer’s disease.
The forward-thinking architectural design has been celebrated across the province and country, culminating in the Apotex Centre receiving the 2000 Ontario Steel Architectural Design Award from the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction and the 2004 Ontario Association of Architects Award of Excellence.
In addition to the exemplary care offered to residents of the Apotex Centre, there are also a number of Spousal Support Groups for the partners of Apotex Centre residents. These groups meet monthly to offer each other support, discuss relationships and obtain information.
In order to offer well-rounded health care, the Apotex Centre at Baycrest also promotes a healthy lifestyle by facilitating a number of physical activity programs for residents.
As the Baycrest Centre proves, the future of healthcare is reliant on partnerships and collaborations between healthcare providers, post-secondary institutions and pharmaceutical companies. By consolidating these entities under one roof we can offer our aging population the best care possible, ensuring an enhanced quality of life for the elderly.
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