AGE-WELL’s 7th Annual EPIC Summer Institute

Toronto, Ontario | June 24 – 28, 2024

Canada’s older adult population overwhelmingly prefers to age in place – in the homes and communities that they know and in which they are comfortable. Aging in place is about being able to live independently in one’s own home and community through appropriate supports and services, including the design of physical spaces and the use of technology within the environment.

There is immense potential for smart home systems, socially assistive robots, and age-friendly communities to enable aging in place with autonomy and dignity. As an older adult walks around their smart home, floor tiles could collect vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure. Motion sensors could detect falls and connect the older adult to a caregiver or emergency services.

Technology-based solutions and services can help older adults to live independently and improve their quality of life, while also supporting caregivers and importantly, providing a cost-effective alternative to long-term care.

The 2024 AGE-WELL Summer Institute took place at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario from June 24 to 28. Participants worked in multidisciplinary teams to develop innovative projects that target specific problem areas identified by researchers and stakeholders. Teams worked through the design process – from defining problems, brainstorming solutions, developing business models, and implementation plans, to successfully pitching their projects.

Summer Institute pitch competition winners – team LinkEar

Team LinkEar won the Summer Institute pitch competition for designing an application solution that uses multiple cellphone microphones to provide conversation transcription and visual directional prompts to enable those with hearing loss to more easily follow conversations involving multiple people.

AGE-WELL extends sincere gratitude to the March of Dimes Canada, Aging in Place Challenge Program, National Research Council of Canada, Advanced Care Research Centre (ACRC), University of Edinburgh, NORC Innovation Lab, Atena Roshan-Fekr, and the PATH Project for their support in making the summer institute a success.

For more information on the EPIC Summer Institute, contact: training@agewell-nce.ca

Read more about the 2023 AGE-WELL EPIC Summer Institute here.