Shannex donates $3.5M to N.S., N.B universities for healthy aging research

A family-owned Nova Scotia business that operates seniors' facilities is donating $3.5 million to three universities in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

The money is going to Dalhousie University ($2 million) and Mount Saint Vincent University ($500,000) in Halifax, and the University of New Brunswick ($1 million).

"The population that we serve today will easily more than double in the next fifteen years," said Shannex president Jason Shannon. "This is why we are investing this money — to support research on healthy aging."

The aim is to use artificial intelligence and other technologies to help decision making and policy planning. Other goals are to improve food and nutrition for seniors and to find strategies to improve wellness and quality of work life for long-term care staff.

"We are grateful for the support of Shannex to help us find solutions for one of the most vital areas of health, improving the lives and well-being of older adults," said Kim Brooks, president and vice-chancellor of Dalhousie University.

The donation to Dalhousie will create the Shannex Research Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Healthy Aging.

The chair will be jointly appointed to the university's health and computer science faculties. They will develop models to enhance resident safety and use data to improve the well-being of seniors.

"This is probably one of the single most important projects that's going to happen in this province for people my age," said Shannex founder Joe Shannon, who purchased a nursing home in 1988 in his hometown of Sydney, N.S.

Shannex now operates more than 25 facilities in Nova Scotia, as well as facilities in New Brunswick and Ontario.