This event targeted two groups, one defined as “Impact Builders”, open to start-ups & community-based organizations with products, services or programs for older adults; and the other defined as “Impact Ideators”, open to individuals or small teams interacting with older adults who have innovative ideas tailored for them.
In each category, applications for these innovations had to fall under one of the following themes – Aging In Place, Living With Purpose or People Supporting People.
Encouraging interest and participation in this event there was opportunity for the public to vote for their People’s Choice Award and of course I did my usual research and review of the entries which, in addition to my own method, was made easy by the SE Health on-line voting panel.
Perhaps my belief in the power of music as a language inspired my People’s Choice vote in the Impact Builders category going to LUCID – a digital music therapy company with its development feature here, Resonance Rx – a medical device for older adults facing anxiety, agitation or other mental health challenges. My first notice of LUCID was when I voted for it and it won the 2023 CABHI MC2 Capital Pitch Competition People’s Choice Award sponsored by AGE-WELL.
Watching the pitch presentation of this category on Livestream it came down to this. The People’s Choice Award was MedicAlert for their pilot program Good Samaritan which is a tracking system to help identify people with dementia who wander and help them return home safely. As a MedicAlert bracelet customer, I certainly can appreciate the work in developing this new addition.
The actual 1st place $30K prize winner was Steadiwear – with its hand tremor device, a wearable glove that “empowers users with control, independence, and confidence, redefining tremor management”. This allows better personal control of basic functions such as drinking, eating and handwriting for those living with Essential Tremor and Parkinson’s disease. Steadiwear also was a 2021 People’s Choice co-winner with Welbi in the CABHI MC2 Capital Pitch Competition.
In the Impact Ideators category my vote went to Alexis Hart & Florene Shuber and their Intergenerational Classroom– a 2023 collaboration between the Univeristy of Toronto and Christie Gardens a retirement community and care home in Toronto’s Davenport neighbourhood. Not only did this facilitate the learning exchange between young undergrads and older adults, but it brought social connection which in turn helped reduce any sense of social isolation which today is not uncommon across all generations. (More in this Press Reader on Christie Gardens.)
However in an unexpected twist, because apparently the voting numbers were closely tight in this category, SE Health decided to present all seven finalists with a $1000 award and a follow up support package which includes a boot camp to provide mentorship and advice to help develop their ideas further. The People’s Choice went to Melanie McLean for the Timiskaming Home Support recognizing their older adult day care services which provide access to technology and transportation to reconnect people with their community.
Postscript. For the SE Health Future of Aging team the Chrysalis Innovation Challenge is just one of their public initiatives. The Future Age Podcast Series is now on to its 13th episode and interestingly the last one Generations in Action Together for a Better Tomorrow enlarges the conversation beyond the Intergenerational Classroom entrant as mentioned above. In my view, Intergenerational dialogue and collaboration is likely the one big hope we have as we create a blueprint for a longevity society.
