Dr. Sandra McKay, Vice President of Research & Innovation at VHA Home HealthCare, has received a 2021 AGE-WELL Honorary Fellow Award.

The award recognizes members of the AGE-WELL network who have made long term and substantial contributions to research and innovation in the AgeTech sector, as well as a significant contribution to AGE-WELL. AGE-WELL is Canada’s technology and aging network which serves as a catalyst for technological innovation that empowers older adults to live healthy, independent and engaged lives, while driving forward Canada’s growing AgeTech sector. AGE-WELL is a long-time partner of VHA.

AGE-WELL has recognized Sandra for her service and exemplary work and the extraordinary contributions she has made both to AGE-WELL and to the AgeTech sector. Sandra has been a steadfast supporter of AGE-WELL and its mandate for many years. She has contributed to AGE-WELL in countless ways, providing scientific reviews as a member of the Research Management Committee for six years and the Industry Advisory Group this past year. Her dedication to and efforts within the AGE-WELL network have been of great benefit to researchers, start-ups and AGE-WELL itself.

Sandra has also been a key supporter of AGE-WELL’s training program, which prepares the innovators of tomorrow. She is an advocate for those pursuing academic opportunities and careers beyond traditional institutional settings and has donated her time for informal mentoring sessions and workshops.

AGE-WELL-supported technologies will be used in the VHA Champions of Change program which provides current point-of-care nursing and personal support workers an opportunity to work together to design and lead a quality improvement project related to VHA’s strategic priorities. This work will bring together the experience of point of care, expertise of research and innovation and the technology innovations of AGE-WELL to create in-home data to advance our understanding of medication reminder systems. Sandra also helped facilitate a virtual “hackathon” for AGE-WELL trainees and VHA clinicians and clients this fall.

“I believe strongly in the AGE-WELL mission and even more so in the fantastic people who create such amazing energy all focused on helping people live well in their communities,” said Sandra. “I am honoured to receive this award.”