An innovative new facility opened today that will enhance quality of life and care for seniors through collaboration between health-care professionals, researchers, students and educators.
The Centre of Excellence for Innovation in Aging is on the north campus of the University of Waterloo and is home to the Village at University Gates, a 192-bed long-term care home operated by Schlegel Villages, and a new 30,000-square-foot research facility for the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA).
“For the first time in our history, there are more Canadians aged 65 and over than there are under 15 years of age,” said His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, who attended the official opening. “This is our reality, and the quality of care we’re able to provide for aging Canadians will determine not only their well-being, but also what kind of people and what kind of country we are.”
The population of seniors in Ontario is expected to double over the next two decades, and the health-care system is bracing for the need to provide living environments that can meet more complex care needs while enhancing quality of life.
"We have developed a village concept around which a main street and town square exist and function to build community living with neighbourhoods and friendly neighbours,” said Ron Schlegel, founder and chairman of Schlegel Villages and the RIA. “It is a social model of active living with life purpose, rather than the traditional institutional model of medical care."
The centre’s design will allow Schlegel Villages’ residents and team members, and community members to work alongside the RIA team, and Waterloo and Conestoga College faculty, researchers and students.
“The physical design of the Centre of Excellence for Innovation in Aging will improve quality of life for older adults,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo. “This opening marks the realization of the vision of the Schlegel family and the University of Waterloo to build important infrastructure that is unique in the world and that inspires innovation in research, education and practice.”
Conestoga College will deliver its personal support worker and practical nursing programs on-site within the long-term care environment. Featuring both classroom and clinical teaching in addition to technology-enhanced learning, the integrated programs improve graduate preparedness for working with seniors and develop workforce capacity to meet the changing needs of our community.
“This new centre will be instrumental in the development of innovative training models to prepare future generations of health-care professionals and enhance the quality of life and care for older adults across our community and beyond,” said John Tibbits, president of Conestoga College. “We look forward to working with our partners to address the urgent need for a highly skilled workforce that can address the care needs of our aging population.”
The three-storey facility also houses state-of-the-art research labs on the upper level, and includes office space for six Schlegel Research Chairs. The main floor features classroom and community space, a pharmacy and a medical clinic, which the Centre for Family Medicine Family Health Team will run.
The next phase of the centre, which will include about 200 independent-living apartments, has a target completion of 2020.
Pictured (left to right): Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor, University of Waterloo / John Tibbits, president, Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning / Hon. Dipika Damerla, associate minister of Health and Long Term Care / Ron Schlegel, founder and chairman, Schlegel Villages and Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging / His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada/ Richard Potwahka, resident of University Gates/ Her Excellency Mrs. Sharon Johnston, viceregal consort of Canada / Hon. Deborah Matthews, deputy premier / Chris Anne Preston, general manager of Village at University Gates / Mike Sharratt, president, Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging
About the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging
The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging was created in 2005 as a senate-approved research institute at the University of Waterloo, then became a non-profit charitable organization in 2006 with core partnerships with University of Waterloo, Conestoga College and Schlegel Villages. The RIA conducts practice-relevant research aimed at enhancing the care, health and wellness of older adults in community-based and long-term care environments. The Schlegel Villages provide voluntary and vibrant living research environments and living classrooms. The best of what is learned is then disseminated broadly to benefit older adults everywhere. For more information go to www.the-ria.ca.
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