By conducting applied research and sharing knowledge, the Healthy Aging and Wellness Innovation Centre (HAWIC) hopes to shift perspectives on aging while tackling the challenges faced by our aging population.

Working alongside students and academics, HAWIC’s research team is exploring five main topic areas: aging in place; community engagement; care and services; technology; and education and mobilization.

Joining four other innovation centres under the Research and Innovation division, HAWIC was unofficially launched at the beginning of 2025. Through strong connections with the academic divisions of Health Sciences and Community, Justice and Fitness, several projects have already been undertaken, or completed. Recent topics include the creation and refinement of best practices in the implementation of robotic animals for people with dementia, in a long-term care setting; determining the gaps and opportunities in Niagara College programming for the 50+ age population; and a project focused on validating the use of a driving simulator (as opposed to real-vehicle road tests) for determining road-readiness for memory clinic patients.

“Seeing an aging research centre come to fruition at Niagara College has been a dream for myself and many colleagues ever since I started here back in 2019 as a project manager assisting faculty with project work on the side of their desk,” said Alexandra Jackson, HAWIC program manager. “HAWIC has really taken off and there’s no shortage of aging-related project work in the Niagara region. It has been exciting to seek out opportunities for building connections with partners for future collaborations.”

Aging-in-place has a long list of benefits, including independence, comfort, financial savings and familiarity. HAWIC will therefore explore creative solutions to support the infrastructure necessary for older adults to stay at home.

Through the integration of age-friendly social, recreational and intergenerational opportunities, older adults can thrive within their community. HAWIC’s research here will focus on developing programs that promote community engagement, strengthen existing relationships and offer new socio-economic connections.

Thoughtful consideration for the care and services of older adults can make a big difference in quality of life. HAWIC will explore innovative and creative solutions for ways to provide services such as healthcare access, while considering cultural, environmental and accessibility needs.

The use of technology can support older adults in practical and meaningful ways, while contributing to their ability to remain independent. HAWIC researchers, alongside other academic and innovation centres at NC, will research technology-based solutions to assist older adults with healthy aging, such as assistive devices for mobility, home modifications, and virtual and digital platforms.

HAWIC supports knowledge mobilization and education through information-sharing by integrating research findings into academia and the community, presenting and attending relevant industry events and conferences.

In the past few months, HAWIC researchers have also had the opportunity to present their findings not only to Niagara audiences, such as during the Niagara Health Research Day hosted in May at NC, but in several locations across the country, such as the Canadian Association on Gerontology, and the AGEWELL Conference, both held in Montreal in October.

“It has been deeply rewarding to share our research not only with local audiences but also at national conferences, where leaders in the field have responded very positively,” noted Christine Wilkinson, HAWIC’s first research lead, and a former faculty member and program coordinator for NC’s Recreation Therapy program. “Their feedback has affirmed that our evidence-informed training and resources have real-world applicability and can meaningfully enhance the quality of life for long-term care residents.”

Wilkinson has spent much of her research time on the above-mentioned robotic animals project, dubbed the “Fins and Feathers” project, developing staff training and related resources to support the therapeutic use of the animals.

She added that the presentation opportunities have also opened doors to explore new collaborations with professionals across the country, helping to quickly establish HAWIC’s reputation on a national level.

While working on projects with many interested community agencies and businesses, student participation is also paramount to the success of the work. Staying current in the latest research topics and trends is important to NC students, the future leaders in innovation solutions for an aging population.

Speaking about the Fins and Feathers project, Matthew Bosnich, fourth-semester Recreation Therapy program student, and HAWIC research assistant, said: “I have gained real-world experience through my involvement in piloting training programs for recreation therapy staff at a partner LTC home in the community, enabling me to enhance my abilities in analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data. This has contributed to improving the training tools and methods associated with this project, and ultimately, the well-being of the long-term care residents we aim to serve.

“Overall, I am truly grateful for both the learning and professional opportunities HAWIC has opened up for me going forward.”

Launching the centre was made possible by an investment of funding by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), through the Mobilize program.

The centre team has also been working on future funding through submissions to equipment and project funding programs at the regional, provincial and national level, to continue building HAWIC’s reach and capabilities in the months and years to come.

To learn more about the Healthy Aging and Wellness Innovation Centre, visit the website. If you have project ideas or wish to discuss community activities or partnerships, contact David DiPietro, Manager, Business Development, at [email protected].