Innovative centre for aging research and care breaks ground

A pioneering institute for aging is officially under construction on the University of Waterloo’s north campus.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Nov. 13 for the new development, which will bring long-term care, research, and teaching activities together on the University of Waterloo campus to improve seniors’ living and train the next generation of front-line staff.

The initiative will help Canada better prepare for an aging population.

Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging

The $376 million project is the joint vision of local entrepreneur and philanthropist Ron Schlegel and the University of Waterloo. The project brings together the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA), Schlegel Villages, the University of Waterloo and Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning to address the growing urgency for innovation in elder care in Canada.

“We are building an infrastructure for innovation in aging that is unparalleled anywhere in the world,” said Ron Schlegel, a former Waterloo professor. “The total infrastructure will consist of this lead village on the university campus, combined with 13 other Schlegel Villages across South and Central Ontario to form a powerful paradigm for research and real time application.” 

Two new facilities

Construction of the two new facilities — the Schlegel Villages Waterloo Long-Term Care Home and the Research Institute for Aging — comes as Ontario’s health care system faces emerging challenges, as the senior population in the province will double over the next two decades.

“These new facilities will help students and researchers address some of the questions that Canada is faced with as our population grows older,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice chancellor of Waterloo. “There is an urgent need to develop new knowledge and talent to tackle the oncoming tsunami of aging-relating problems across the globe. These innovative new facilities will allow us to shed new light on some of the challenges we face as we grow old.”

The first of its kind in Canada, the arrangement will allow Waterloo faculty, researchers, and students to work alongside Conestoga College personal-care students and practical nurses on projects informed by residents’ feedback.  The research and training will impact front-line care, shape curricula and build capacity within the aged-care sector.

“The magic of this arrangement is that front line staff will interface with university and college students and researchers, all of whom will mingle with residents of the new Village,” said Michael Sharratt, president of the RIA and research professor (emeritus) at Waterloo. “Today we also launched our campaign to raise capital to support the construction of this wonderful facility. We have already raised more than half of our $9 million fundraising target.”

Construction on the two facilities is set to complete by mid-2015.