Esprit-ai, Perley Health and OBIO® Advance Dementia Care to Support Seniors and Veterans in Long-Term Care Homes

TORONTO & OTTAWA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Long-term care residents with dementia often face heightened vulnerability due to complex health histories, cognitive decline, and mobility challenges. Risks such as falls, agitation, and unsafe interactions remain persistent concerns in long-term care.

Esprit-ai is proud to announce that Perley Health will move forward with the procurement of the Esprit-ai Sense™ AI-powered monitoring system after a successful evaluation at the Perley Health Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care™.

Esprit-ai was adopted with the support of OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN^®) program after a successful evaluation was completed at Perley Health through the LSCTC Centre of Excellence. EAHN^® is supported by the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and LSCTC is supported by the Government of Ontario.

“OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network is helping bring made‑in‑Canada health innovations into real‑world care settings where they can make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians,” said The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. “The adoption of Esprit-ai Sense™ at Perley Health is the kind of innovation and technology the Government of Canada is committed to supporting as we build towards a stronger and healthier economy.”

The project—launched to support high-quality dementia care—demonstrated how the technology helps staff detect and respond to resident behaviours, prevent falls, and provide meaningful clinical insights, without using wearables or cameras.

This procurement is particularly meaningful at Perley Health, which serves seniors and veterans in a community of care based in Ottawa South.

From Evaluation to Procurement: Innovation Meets Demand

Supported by OBIO’s LSCTC Centre of Excellence, the collaboration deployed Esprit-ai Sense™ in resident rooms, focusing on dementia care. The evaluation, conducted at the Perley Health Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care™, addressed critical needs, including:

• Detecting early signs of resident-to-resident interactions (wandering, agitation)
• Providing alerts to enable timely staff intervention
• Reducing fall risk among residents
• Monitoring sleep and mobility patterns to inform care planning
• Improving workflow efficiency through integration with nurse call systems

Based on the evaluation’s success in enhancing staff responsiveness and resident safety, Perley Health has committed to ongoing utilization of the Sense™ system providing this technology in 20 rooms in the Gatineau Residence, specifically Gatineau One North. Esprit-ai Sense™ addresses these challenges through non-intrusive monitoring that alerts caregivers before adverse events occur. Installed beneath the mattress, the device quietly tracks micro-movements and generates actionable insights—without wearables or cameras—providing peace of mind to both staff and families.

The OBIO^® Catalyst

OBIO’s LSCTC Centre of Excellence accelerates the adoption of health innovations by funding and facilitating pilot projects in care settings. OBIO’s support enabled Esprit-ai and Perley Health to validate the Esprit‑ai Sense™ system in a dementia and veterans care environment, ensuring that innovation reached those who need it most.

“Innovation in dementia care is crucial for providing the much-needed level of support to frontline caregivers and residents,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President & CEO, OBIO^®. “Our collaboration with Esprit-ai and Perley Health exemplifies how partnerships can bring life-changing technologies into practice, benefitting some of our most underserved populations, including Canadian veterans.”

About Esprit-ai

Esprit-ai develops nonintrusive sensor systems for senior care settings. Its flagship Esprit‑ai Sense™ solution installs beneath mattresses (no wearables, no cameras), uses AI to detect micro-movements, and integrates with nurse call systems to deliver real-time alerts. It reduces falls, prevents behavioral incidents, and supports safer, more responsive care.

“This transition from evaluation to procurement is a powerful validation of both the clinical value and real-world impact of Esprit-ai Sense™,” said Patrick Tan, CEO of Esprit-ai. “At Perley Health, we’ve shown that non-intrusive AI without wearables or cameras can meaningfully support staff, reduce risk, and improve safety for residents living with dementia, including Veterans. We’re proud to work alongside Perley Health and OBIO^® to help scale innovations that strengthen frontline care and deliver measurable outcomes where they matter most.”

About Perley Health

Perley Health is a unique and innovative community that empowers seniors and Veterans to live life to the fullest. Home to more than 600 Seniors and Veterans in long-term care and in independent apartments, Perley Health provides a growing number of clinical, therapeutic and recreational services to residents, tenants and people from across the region.

One of the largest and most progressive long-term care homes in Ontario, Perley Health is also a centre for research, education, and clinical innovation. Our Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care™ conducts and shares the practical research needed to improve care. Future caregivers come here to study and to acquire hands-on skills and experience.

Perley Health's values are brought to life each day by our over 800 employees and more than 400 regular volunteers.

"Perley Health leverages innovative technology like Esprit-ai to safeguard residents living with dementia. By evaluating these advancements on-site, our Centre of Excellence conducts vital research to share best practices,” said Danielle Sinden, Director, Perley Health Centre of Excellence. This partnership that includes application of this technology in 20 resident rooms, ensures we not only improve resident well-being and operational efficiency here but also provide essential guidance for other long-term care homes.”

About OBIO^®

Founded in 2009, OBIO^® is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization. OBIO^® is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN^®), supported by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and focusing on implementing new solutions using critical technologies through its Life Sciences Critical Technologies & Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence, supported by the Government of Ontario. OBIO^® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to address the needs of the next generation of companies developing innovative human health products. For more information, please visit OBIO.ca and follow OBIO^® on LinkedIn and X.

About FedDev Ontario

Since 2009, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impact the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our impact stories, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.