Peter Cipriano donates $10 million to transform care for seniors through the Centre for Seniors Health at Sunnybrook
TORONTO, ON – A landmark donation of $10 million by Peter Cipriano allows Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre to re-invent care for seniors. The Peter Cipriano Centre for Seniors Health will create a first-ever patient-centred model of care to keep seniors healthy and in their community.
Shared across Toronto, Ontario and then Canada, the new model will increase the wellbeing of seniors nation-wide, while reducing demands on the health-care system. As a nation, Canada faces a growing challenge to manage the health of its seniors, given the country’s rapidly aging population and the current fragmented approach to their care. By 2020, one in four Ontarians will be over 65 and many will have complex medical and social needs. A new approach is needed.
Mr. Cipriano, the founder of Goldpark Group, knows first-hand the health-care challenges of seniors through the experience of caring for his own parents. Sunnybrook’s comprehensive and holistic approach to geriatric medicine convinced Mr. Cipriano of the need, more than ever, to invest in specialized care for seniors.
Now, he lends his name to the Peter Cipriano Centre for Seniors Health, a custom-designed space where Sunnybrook experts will pioneer a new model that offers fully coordinated care organized around the needs of patients and their families.
The Peter Cipriano Centre for Seniors Health will test this new outpatient model, which begins with an integrated, patient-first approach. The Centre will create a personalized plan to manage the care of each patient, coordinating the roles of geriatricians and hospital experts with primary care physicians and community and family supports. The goal is more efficient and compassionate care that keeps seniors independent and in their own homes while reducing health-care costs.
To achieve this vision, the Peter Cipriano Centre for Seniors Health will expand on the existing strengths of the Sunnybrook geriatric medicine program. The 13,000-square-foot custom-designed facility will be created through a total redesign and refitting of existing space based around the needs of seniors.
The Centre will offer outpatient services including comprehensive assessment, rehabilitation, system navigation, caregiver support and education on the health needs of seniors. Additional services will include eye care, psychology and audiology.
To respect the patient and family’s time and effort, medical specialists from across the hospital will come to the Centre to see patients during a defined block of time. An on-site rapid referral clinic will allow seniors with more pressing issues to be seen and treated within 24 to 48 hours, diverting approximately 2,000 patient visits a year from the Emergency Department.
Senior-friendly features of the facility will include oversized exam rooms, a heated and covered driveway for drop-off and pick-up in poor weather, and the latest in comfort and safety features.
“Bringing a frail and unwell parent to see multiple specialists on multiple days is hard on the parent and difficult for the family member,” said Mr. Cipriano. “The new Centre for Seniors Health will introduce a better way to care for seniors, putting patients first so they can stay healthy. I am honoured to be able to make this happen in the Cipriano name.” The Centre will also serve as a research and education hub where clinicians will study and optimize this new model of care. They will actively share their findings with other Toronto hospitals, across Ontario and Canada, while continuously introducing improvements to ensure seniors receive actively managed and personalized care.
Mr. Cipriano supports clinician education at Sunnybrook, ensuring fellowships include a rotation in geriatric medicine so graduates have direct knowledge of the complexities of this field. The Centre will expand the education capacity of Sunnybrook to train students from various disciplines at all levels to gain knowledge of the unique health challenges of this growing population.
“Sunnybrook is immensely grateful for Peter’s vision and commitment,” said President and CEO Dr. Andy Smith. “At Sunnybrook, we are inventing a future where seniors are cared for with respect and dignity so they can remain in the community for as long as possible. It will be a win for patients, for families and for the health system, thanks to the Peter Cipriano Centre for Seniors Health.”
Planning for the Centre is advanced, with an anticipated opening date of spring 2020.
Learn more about the Peter Cipriano Centre for Seniors Health
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Media contact:
Sally Fur
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
416-480-4040
sally.fur@sunnybrook.ca
