Innovation is all around us. From supporting the gravity-defying developments happening in the aerospace ecosystem and evolving holistic prostate cancer care to optimizing aging in senior residences and care homes through research and award-winning design, organizations in the city lead the way in forward-thinking to make critical advancements. This incredible work is what makes Calgary an innovation centre to be envied.
Bringing Innovation to Continuing Care
The Brenda Strafford Foundation’s research and innovation centre focuses on creating impact to support societal issues like aging well.
Foundation (BSF) has been guided by its founding principle — giving back to the community to optimize well-being. Today, it continues to be a leader of innovation in the community through its senior living facilities and domestic violence shelter in the city, along with its international health programs at clinics in Jamaica, Haiti and Dominica. As the foundation enters its second half century, it’s redoubling its efforts to help solve some of society’s most pressing issues.
Research and innovation
At the core of that mission is the foundation’s Dr. Barrie Strafford Centre for Learning Innovation and Quality (CLIQ). The centre opened in 2023 as a dedicated research and innovation arm to support the foundation’s various initiatives and facilities. CLIQ partners with academics, research institutes and businesses to drive innovation across the sectors BSF provides services for, including aging care, prevention of domestic violence and international healthcare.
“What makes CLIQ different from other organizations is our focus on innovation,” says Catherine Laing, CLIQ’s vice-president. “We are truly the only group in Alberta, and probably even in Canada, that has such a large resource dedicated to innovation and research for these sectors.”
Developing best practices
The foundation operates four care homes in Calgary and one in Okotoks, allowing CLIQ to not just undertake research in an academic sense, but also to directly apply innovative ideas and technology that improve quality of life at those homes. The introduction of drum circles as an activity at BSF care homes, for example, has provided numerous benefits to residents and staff. Laing and her team have studied the effects of drum circles and found they have helped foster a sense of community and help calm residents. CLIQ has since published a drumming toolkit with research findings, along with resources and tips for other organizations to use.
“Not only are we bringing this information forward for best practice for our sites, but we share this information with other organizations across Canada, and we’ve built a very good ecosystem that we share these best practices with,” says Laing.
Coming up with solutions
CLIQ has also partnered with Best Buy Canada on a project centred around smart condos and integrating technology into the living spaces of independent seniors to help them age in place longer. Laing points out that as the proportion of people residing in assisted living facilities or receiving in-home care goes up, questions of how best to support Canada’s aging population are more important than ever. That’s precisely why The Brenda Strafford Foundation carries out the work that it does — to help come up with effective solutions.
“We know that the population is aging, and that we won’t have enough spaces in continuing care by 2030,” says Laing. “The population is looking for innovation; they’re looking for ways they can stay in their home longer, and how they can be as healthy as possible, for as long as possible.”
To learn more about BSF, visit thebsf.ca. For more about CLIQ, visit goinnovate.ca.
Continually Providing Improved Patient Care
The Prostate Cancer Centre offers innovative and evolving comprehensive healthcare, all under one roof.
For the last 25 years, the Prostate Cancer Centre (PCC) has been one of Calgary’s best-kept secrets. Well, the secret is out. Located adjacent to the Rockyview General Hospital, the PCC is where prostate cancer patients receive world-class care and attention — and its vision to provide comprehensive and holistic care continues to shape the PCC into one of the most enviable urological care centres in the world.
The PCC has long prioritized bold forward-thinking when it comes to patient care, but three years ago, CEO Jeff Davison took that commitment further when he joined the PCC. A local businessman and former city councillor, Davison didn’t have a background in healthcare prior to joining the PCC, but he came with a passion for innovation and problem-solving as well as infectious positive energy.
“I’ve always found I’ve been good at bringing people together, finding common ground and getting things done,” Davison says. “There were some large aspirations here at the PCC. And I said, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’”
And so they have. Davison’s leadership reinvigorated an already enthusiastic team, all passionate about developing new initiatives expanding the possibilities of men’s healthcare. “Our board had a vision, and Jeff was able to actually make things happen,” says Stacey Smith, the centre’s director of fund development. “Innovation is not just about the ideas. Creating that environment here at the Prostate Cancer Centre has allowed the rest of us to be creative and think differently as well.”
Centre expansion and improved access to life-saving care
Since men’s urological health can carry stigma, creating a welcoming centre where men feel confident coming in for treatment has been a key part of the PCC’s game plan. Last year, the centre opened a 9,000-square-foot expansion to make room for new prehabilitation and mental health services as well as the medical treatment, aftercare and educational pieces the centre has built its reputation on.
“Every urologist in the city is in our office. EFW radiology is in the office. All the programming pieces are here, and the operating room is across the street in the hospital,” Davison says. “Having the ability to be a one-stop shop is incredibly unique.”
Add to that, one element that is intentionally not physically present is the MAN VAN, the PCC’s successful mobile testing unit. Since early detection is crucial in prostate cancer prognosis, the PCC launched its third MAN VAN last year to better reach men across Calgary and rural Alberta to administer prostate-specific antigen (PSA) diagnosis tests.
Groundbreaking research
While it’s rare for regional care facilities to engage in research, the PCC participates in 20 to 25 clinical trials at any given time because trials can lead to new drugs and therapies. To further position itself as a leader in the prostate cancer space, the centre recently formed a partnership with the University of Calgary to undertake new scientific research initiatives under the PCC banner. “We are a place of excellence for urology care; this was the next step,” Davison says. “We want to establish a footprint that says we’re doing basic science as well as clinical research to offer wraparound patient care.”
A world-class prehabilitation centre
The centre’s expansion was largely designed to accommodate its new prehabilitation or “prehab” centre. The prehab program — intended to get patients in the best possible shape prior to surgery — includes mental health supports as well as physical exercise sessions such as yoga as well as the introduction to other healthy habits. Davison believes the PCC initiative is the most comprehensive prehab program in the world, presenting an excellent opportunity to collect data on patient outcomes. “We’re piloting a program that will be applicable to other forms of cancer as well,” Davison says. “This could be game changing in healthcare.”
The future of personalized care
Davison and his team also have their eyes on using emerging technology to ensure treatment plans can meet patients’ individualized needs. While these measures haven’t been implemented just yet, PCC experts are investigating artificial intelligence (AI) applications to work with genetic sequencing to develop predictive treatment to improve outcomes and quality of life.
“We’ve learned so much about the world in the last decade, in terms of genetics and AI tools,” Davison says. “We’d be remiss if we weren’t always looking to the future. We’re always looking at how we can continually do better.”
Learn more at prostatecancercentre.ca.
Innovative Design Optimizes Aging with Grace
Riverwalk Retirement Residence offers an award-winning design, bustling location and life-enriching amenities.
Located in the vibrant and senior-friendly Cliff Bungalow-Mission neighbourhood, Riverwalk Retirement Residence by Verve Senior Living is a haven for senior living. The team at Verve Senior Living designed a premier retirement residence with a continuum of care where residents can age with grace, having everything from independent living and personalized supportive care to assisted living and memory care.
“Riverwalk embodies Verve’s mission by providing a vibrant, engaging environment where residents can maintain the active lifestyle they are accustomed to while receiving the care they need when required,” says Joseph Gesualdi, vice president of development planning for Verve Senior Living. “With a variety of amenities, thoughtfully designed suites and multiple levels of care, Riverwalk ensures that residents can enjoy independence while having support readily available.”
Riverwalk’s amenities include dynamic dining options, a bistro and bar, a fulsome activity calendar and various communal spaces to enjoy, like a movie theatre, billiards room and a fitness centre. Verve designed Riverwalk with residents in mind, aiming to enhance quality of life and community connection, and the design reflects true innovation. In fact, Senior Housing News awarded Riverwalk second place in the Continuing Care Retirement Community/Life Plan Community category of its Architecture & Design Awards. These awards recognize cutting-edge design, excellence and innovation in senior living.
“Receiving this award highlights our commitment to excellence in design, service and senior living innovation, setting Riverwalk apart as a standout choice for retirement living,” affirms Gesualdi.
To learn more, visit verveseniorliving.com/riverwalk
Setting the Pace in Aerospace
Innovate Calgary is giving the city’s aerospace sector a shot in the wing with its new innovation hub.
As Calgary’s thriving aerospace sector continues to expand, a new initiative is helping to turbocharge that growth with premium facilities and millions of dollars in investment. Led by Innovate Calgary, the Aerospace Innovation Hub aims to foster and attract innovation and start-ups in the aerospace sector through collaborative partnerships with the Calgary Airport Authority, University of Calgary, WestJet and Chapter.AI.
Start-up, up and away
Launched in spring of 2024, the hub recruits and onboards start-up companies and surrounds them with supports to maximize their chances of success. These start-ups develop a vast variety of innovative solutions from enhancing runway safety and wildlife management using unmanned aerial vehicles to sustainable aviation fuels and satellite technologies.
“The Aerospace Innovation Hub accelerates Calgary’s aerospace sector by uniting start-ups, industry leaders, and University of Calgary research and expertise,” says John Wilson, president and CEO of Innovate Calgary.
Cutting-edge toolkit
At the heart of the hub are tools such as prototyping labs for start-up companies to build and test their designs. The state-of-the-art labs include over $5 million in equipment such as a waterjet cutter, a metal 3D printer and precision milling tools. Incubated companies also receive support from a roster of over 100 advisors, discounts through Innovate Calgary’s partners and a community of like-minded start-ups.
The hub also hosts the Aerospace Accelerator Program aimed at fostering the next generation of Calgary-based aerospace businesses by offering $200,000 of non-dilutive capital and a robust curriculum. The program will fund six placements in total over three years.
“With cutting-edge labs, strategic partnerships and a dynamic accelerator program, we’re driving innovation, economic growth and real-world solutions that position Calgary as a global aerospace leader,” says Wilson.
Learn more at innovatecalgary.com/aerospace-innovation.
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