Team

Our Story

Our journey began at the AGE-WELL Summer Institute in July 2017, where two dedicated post-doctoral researchers crossed paths. The theme of the institute was Co-Creating Possibilities: Physical Fitness to Avoid Frailty in Long-term Care. Dr. Charlene Chu, a seasoned gerontological Registered Nurse had just completed her PhD focused on person-centered care and physical mobility in older adults with dementia living in long-term care. Dr. Renée Biss, a clinical neuropsychologist specializing in cognitive interventions for older adults, was researching new technology for people with cognitive problems and their care partners. They combined their expertise to create an innovative solution to promote physical activity, cognitive stimulation, and social engagement among older adults living in long-term care.

Inspired by their interactions with older adults in long-term care and trainees from other disciplines, they co-created and ideated “Mouvmat”, an exergaming platform co-designed with long-term care home residents to meet their individual cognitive and physical needs.

In 2018, Drs. Chu and Biss secured funding from CABHI to iteratively develop and refine the prototype. They published a paper on Designing an Exergaming Device for Older Adults Residing in Long-term Care Homes.

Dr Charlene Chu

Principal Investigator

Assistant Professor, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto; Cross-appointed, Institute of Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto; Affiliate Scientist, KITE- Toronto Rehab Institute, University Health Network

Building on this, Chu and Biss went on to win a grant from the New Frontiers Research Fund. This support enabled them to transform their concept into a high-fidelity version, ready to be tested in nursing homes, in close collaboration with Henrique Matulis, a talented software developer with experience developing technologies for older adults. Today, MouvMat is the focus on a multi-site pilot randomized controlled trial across the Greater Toronto Area. You can find the link to our trial’s registration below:

https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05130203

Driven by their shared commitment to enhancing the lives of older adults, our team is proud to develop the Mouvmat and continue to assess its efficacy to promote physical, cognitive and social outcomes for older adults in long-term care—a testament to innovation, and the boundless potential of interdisciplinary collaboration. Join us on our journey as we continue to push the boundaries of technology and aging to ensure that every older adult enjoys a life of engagement and well-being.