Attendees check out AgeTech innovations at the always popular AGE-WELL Reception and Showcase (“Drinks and Demos”).

AGE-WELL’s annual conference attracted more than 400 researchers, trainees, older adults, caregivers and partners from industry, government and the community. Held in Edmonton, Alberta on October 23 and 24, the theme was Shared Visions, Shared Futures: Transforming Aging Together.

The action-packed program featured 40+ speakers, 75 research posters and 30+ exhibits and demos of the latest technology-based solutions for healthy aging. Discussions centered on pressing issues and AgeTech’s impact, with nonstop networking throughout. The goal: empowering older Canadians to maintain their independence, health and quality of life, while supporting their caregivers.

In addition, the envisAGE 2nd Annual Forum, co-located in Edmonton alongside the AGE-WELL Conference, took place on October 23. Co-hosted by MEDTEQ+ and AGE-WELL, the envisAGE Forum put a spotlight on the commercialization and integration of AgeTech solutions. Keynote Christopher Kunney, Managing Partner at IOTECH Consulting, opened the morning, setting the stage for a day dedicated to how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups are driving innovation in the AgeTech sector.

AGE-WELL 2024 featured a remarkable panel session on Home: Reimagined: New Perspectives for an Aging Population.

Advancements in AgeTech

Smart-home systems, virtual therapies, health monitoring systems and exergames were just some of the technologies on display as the AGE-WELL conference kicked off with the popular AGE-WELL Reception and Showcase on October 23. The People’s Choice: Best Demo award went to PATH (Program to Accelerate Technologies for Homecare), a nationwide, open-access platform that supports aging in place. TRILL, a digital assistive music-making technology, was runner-up.

On October 24, serial entrepreneur Dominic Carter, CEO of The Carter Group / Living Best, delivered an inspiring keynote titled The Power of Us. Living Best is a community network comprising leading-edge mature consumers, startups and professionals focused on making AgeTech user-friendly and widely accepted. The goal is to transform the aging experience in Japan and beyond through the mass adoption of technology created for and co-created by its users.

Along with fascinating research talks, the day featured a special panel discussion on Home Reimagined: New Perspectives for an Aging Population, moderated by Dr. Charlene Chu (University of Toronto/The KITE Research Institute-University Health Network) and Dr. Vivian Stamatopoulos (Ontario Tech University). Panelists Alla Pliss (Jewish Association Serving the Aging), Frank van Dillen (DVA Dementia Village Associates) and Paul Lea (advocate for people living with dementia) put a spotlight on naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs), dementia villages, and technologies that can support people to age in place.

Marnie Courage, founder and CEO of Incluzia Inc. won first prize at the AGE-WELL National Impact Challenge.

Dynamic pitch competition

In the late afternoon, conference attendees watched four innovative Canadian startups pitch their products in the always-thrilling AGE-WELL National Impact Challenge. The competition recognizes and supports top startups in Canada’s growing AgeTech sector. Congratulations to Marnie Courage, founder and CEO of Incluzia Inc., who won the 2024 AGE-WELL National Impact Challenge: Solutions for Healthy Aging. Incluzia has created an assessment tool that provides personalized home safety and modification recommendations. Courage said the $25,000 cash prize will help build team capacity, test the business plan and execute the marketing strategy to hopefully bring MyHomeFX and MyHomeFX Pro to market in late spring 2025.

The runner-up prize of $5,000 in cash went to Fallyx Inc., developers of a wearable, clip-on sensor for fall monitoring. A People’s Choice Award, for which hundreds of votes were cast online, went to Thriving.ai Inc., creators of a digital platform uniting remote care, AI, wearables, and Internet of Things (IoT) to streamline care for older adults and those with chronic conditions. (Read the full story here.)

AGE-WELL 2024 also included an exciting product launch. Steadiwear, an AGE-WELL startup affiliate, released its third-generation Steadi-3 glove designed to reduce hand tremors for people living with Essential Tremor and Parkinson’s disease. Steadiwear also captured the People’s Choice Award at the envisAGE pitch session, moderated by Dianne Buckner, host of CBC’s Dragons’ Den.

Honouring excellence

In a moving tribute, Dr. Janet Fast, a longstanding and valued leader within the AGE-WELL network who passed away in September 2024, was recognized for her tireless advocacy for caregivers across Canada. Dr. Fast’s contributions to AGE-WELL, to caregiving research, as well as to policy and practice more broadly, will leave a lasting legacy. (Read the In Memoriam here.)

Two network stars received 2024 AGE-WELL Honorary Fellow Awards, which recognize members who have made long-term and substantial contributions to research and innovation in the AgeTech sector, as well as a significant contribution to AGE-WELL. Sherry Baker is co-chair of AGE-WELL’s Older Adult and Caregiver Advisory Committee. Her leadership has been pivotal in shaping AGE-WELL’s stakeholder-led initiatives. Dr. Susan Jaglal, a University of Toronto professor, was instrumental in developing AGE-WELL’s globally leading EPIC training program. She has left an indelible mark on our current and future innovators.

Another special moment was the presentation of two AGE-WELL Emerging Entrepreneur Awards. These $50,000 awards support the development of emerging entrepreneurs to create and grow an innovative startup with potential social and economic impact in Canada. This year’s recipients are Arjun Puri, Co-Founder and CEO of Symbiotic AI, which creates clinical decision-support tools to help improve heart care; and Justin Wyss, founder of NovaSense Technology Ltd., working on a device to prevent pressure ulcers, which affect over three million people in North America every year. AGE-WELL is grateful to the Yuen Family Foundation for their generosity in supporting the Emerging Entrepreneur Award Program.

The award for best poster went to Brittany Pousett (University of British Columbia) for Balancing Access, Resources and Needs: The Impact of Prosthetic Funding Policies on Older Adults with Limb Absence. The runner-up prize was awarded to Adrien Moevus (Université de Montréal) for Enhancing Healthy Aging: Implementing Serious Games and Emerging Technologies into a Rehabilitation Technology Parc.

AGE-WELL 2024 highlighted a multidisciplinary program of research and innovation from across Canada.

Training the next generation

AGE-WELL 2024 included a stimulating day of programming for members of the EPIC-AT training program and early career researchers as part of the EPIC-AT/ECR Rising Stars meeting. EPIC-AT is a national training program that prepares graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and early career researchers to be future leaders in digital health solutions for older adults with complex health needs.

AGE-WELL thanks the generous sponsors of AGE-WELL 2024: Alberta Innovates, the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), and the Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) (Gold Sponsors), and Smart & Biggar, TELUS Business, and Government of the Netherlands (Bronze Sponsors). Promotional Partners were: CanAge, Canadian Institutes of Health Research – Institute of Aging (CIHR-IA), and YouAreUNLTD.

We also extend our gratitude to the generous sponsors of the 2024 AGE-WELL National Impact Challenge: Solutions for Healthy Aging: returning key sponsor, the Ontario Brain Institute, with additional support from the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) and Smart & Biggar.