Baker Centre embraces research
Advancements key as care needs change
Friday July 9, 2010 -- Lisa Bailey
As the site of an active research lab, the Harold and Grace Baker Centre wants to be known as a leading home contributing to advancements in care.

“It’s the way of the future,” director of staff education Shirley Neff says. “If you want to go forward in education and in health care, then you need to get involved in research.”

Executve director Milena Sujer adds that the pursuit of improvements is important to create the best possible environment and quality of life for long-term care residents as their care needs change.

The University of Toronto established a lab at the non-profit home in Toronto about three years ago.

All proposals for projects must be submitted and reviewed by the home, which is managed by Revera Inc. They’ve already been approved by the school’s ethics committee.

Neff says about three research projects are conducted at the lab annually, with residents of the long-term care and retirement home eligible to take part. Obtaining consent is an important part of the process.

Projects can focus on things that hold the potential to benefit the elderly, Neff says. The first project in 2008 looked at taps and hand washing. About 30 residents took part in trials, testing different types of taps to see which ones had the least touch control that the elderly could manage.

The research included people with varying stages of Alzheimer’s, Neff says, to determine how they handled turning taps off and on.

Other projects have looked at the effectiveness of wheelchairs and toothbrushes.

This type of research plays a key role in the development of new equipment, Neff notes.

In addition to hands-on studies, social research also takes place. Neff says a proposal with the University of Waterloo was recently completed that involves questionnaires.

Once a project is complete, it may take years before the research is published. The process involves compiling the information and performing an ethics check.

In addition to partnering with universities for ongoing research, the Baker Centre provides placements for students from several colleges and secondary schools. Their career choices range from nursing to office and dietary.

“It is ongoing education, it is ongoing best practices for your staff,” Neff says, as student s provide a fresh perspective as they share their knowledge of current information with team members.

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