Building Canada's Brain Economy for a Bold Future

Researchers and point-of-care professionals affiliated with health research organizations can advance their solutions through Ignite, alongside early-stage companies from across Canada, with a focus on prototype development and early validation.

As innovations mature, they can progress into Fuel, moving their innovation toward market readiness, commercialization, and scale.

Dykeland Lodge wants to reduce falls— the most common cause of injury in older persons, often leading to hospitalization and loss of independence—in its longterm care home. XO Technology, an incoming CABHI Ignite participant, and its novel smart ring might be the right answer. Our D+A program is helping them find out.

The wearable smart rings integrate directly with preexisting staff devices and track key health and activity data, helping identify factors that may contribute to falls. During the trial, residents were empowered to choose their ring colours and had them professionally fitted to ensure comfort, bringing them in as active participants in the adoption journey.

“It is great to have the opportunity to try new technology that can be used to enhance the quality of life of the residents we support,” says Victoria Gagne, BRec, CTRS, Director of Recreation at Dykeland Lodge. “Without CABHI’s support, we would not have been able to have the opportunity to purchase the technology or hire staff who were able to support the project. The residents who are participating in the study truly feel the ring is keeping them safe.”

While the project is still underway, if it proves successful, it will help care teams identify and address fall risks earlier, supporting resident safety while helping older persons maintain their independence.

For long-term care residents living with advanced dementia, maintaining social connections and reducing isolation can be a significant challenge. Group recreational activities often require verbal communication or extended attention spans, making it more difficult for residents with complex care needs to engage meaningfully in group activities—if at all. CABHI connected Luther Court Society with Sensory One’s OMI system to determine if this exciting new technology could be the perfect fit.

“CABHI has helped Luther Court bring innovation directly into the everyday lives of residents living with advanced dementia,” says Carolyn Hoekstra, Director of Care and Community, Luther Court Society. “Their support has allowed us to trial technology that creates new possibilities for participation, connection, and enjoyment for residents who may otherwise have limited opportunities to engage in traditional group programming. Ultimately, it’s about finding new ways to enhance quality of life—and CABHI has helped make that possible.”

The interactive projection system creates immersive experiences, allowing multiple residents to participate together through simple movement and visual interaction—no complex communication required. By creating new opportunities for engagement among residents living with advanced dementia, the project has the potential to reduce isolation, strengthen social connections, and enhance quality of life.

Falls are the leading cause of injury among older persons, making prevention a top priority. At Baycrest Terraces, care teams were hoping to gain insights into when residents were sleeping, waking, and preparing to leave their beds independently—a prime moment for falls.

As one of the 26 2025/26 CABHI-supported D+A organizations, Baycrest Terraces is implementing Momo Medical’s BedSense (a CABHI-funded innovation): an under-mattress monitoring system designed to provide real-time insights into resident movement, heart rate, and breathing patterns. The technology alerts staff when a resident may be preparing to get out of bed, enabling early intervention when needed, but also promoting independence.

“The pain point we’re trying to solve is to be able to have some insight into when people are sleeping, when they are in the bed, when they are out of the bed, but also we are trying to look for a noticeable reduction in falls,” says Debra Conway-Chung, Director, Residential and Community Programs at Baycrest. “This will be a game-changer for people who are looking for that little bit of an extra touch of care while still allowing autonomy.”

BedSense stood out to Baycrest Terraces because of its non-intrusive design, ease of installation, and app-based reporting, which directly supports the organization’s strategic priorities related to both digital transformation and fall reduction.

The team at Baycrest Terraces expects to see a reduction in falls and an increase in valuable data collection around residents’ sleep and awake patterns. Not only will residents receive better, more customized care by using BedSense, but Baycrest Terraces will be able to schedule staff accordingly.