Geras Centre for Aging Research

What Geras Centre for Aging Research does

Geras Centre for Aging Research is a clinical research center embedded within Hamilton Health Sciences and affiliated with McMaster University, based at St Peter's Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. The center designs and delivers multicenter clinical trials in aging, rehabilitation, brain health, bone health, frailty, and fall prevention, serving community-dwelling older adults, long-term care residents, healthcare professionals, and pharmaceutical sponsors across Canada (with active trials in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia).

The center's technology portfolio includes the award-winning SixthSense mobility wellness device (radar-based gait-speed measurement under six seconds), the Fracture Risk Scale (a 1-year hip fracture prediction tool integrated into RAI-MDS 2.0 long-term care assessments), the Fit-Frailty mobile app, Cognitive Groove / GERAS DANCE (a dance-based rehabilitation program validated in a 250-participant RCT), CHIRP fall detection, augmented reality fall prevention tools, and co-developed smart bed technology with Norway-based Ably Medical. Educational offerings include the Geriatric Certificate Program, Cognitive Assessment Tools Workshop, iGeriCare dementia e-learning, and the GeriEvidence podcast.

Revenue is generated through a mix of public research grants (primarily CIHR), multicenter clinical trial contracts with pharmaceutical partners (notably the CALMA Phase 2 trial with IGC Pharma in Alzheimer's agitation, 164 participants), and fees from professional education programs and the nascent SixthSense consumer device. The center distributes research and educational outputs through Regional Geriatric Program Central, the YMCA of Hamilton Burlington Brantford (LiveWell programs), the McMaster Health Innovation Hub, and direct participant recruitment via its website and phone line.

Name

Geras Centre for Aging Research

Legal name

GERAS Centre for Aging Research

Website

https://gerascentre.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Geras Centre for Aging Research is a Hamilton Health Sciences-affiliated clinical research center that designs aging-focused clinical trials and develops mobility, frailty, and cognitive health tools — including the SixthSense radar gait device and Fracture Risk Scale — for older adults, clinicians, and long-term care partners across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geriatric Clinical Research & Education Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Geriatric Rehabilitation Programs (HLADAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthy Aging & Longevity Lifestyle Coaching (HSADAGAK), Chronic Disease & Complex Care Management (Geriatrics) (HLADALAC)

Keywords

• Geriatric clinical trials
• Aging research services
• Frailty research
• Dementia care education
• Bone health research

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research Grants: Funding from agencies such as Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for clinical trials and research studies.
2. Clinical Trial Operations: Conducting multicenter clinical trials for pharmaceutical and healthcare partners, including Phase 2 trials like CALMA with IGC Pharma.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Geras Centre for Aging Research is a research centre embedded within Hamilton Health Sciences and affiliated with McMaster University that designs and delivers multicenter clinical trials in aging, brain health, bone health, and frailty. It sells professional education programs (Geriatric Certificate Program, Cognitive Assessment Tools Workshop, Geriatric Foundations eLearning, iGeriCare dementia e-learning, Positive Aging workshop, Pre-retirement course, Cognitive Groove Instructor course) and develops proprietary innovations such as the SixthSense mobility wellness device, the Fit-Frailty App, the Fracture Risk Scale, and community-based Cognitive Groove/Optimal Fitness rehabilitation programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE): A community-based rehabilitation program using dance to improve brain health and movement in older adults
• SixthSense
• Fit-Frailty App
• GeriEvidence
• iGeriCare

Products and services

• Geriatric Certificate Program A professional certification program designed for healthcare professionals seeking formal training in geriatric medicine and care of older adults.
• Cognitive Assessment Tools Workshop A workshop training healthcare professionals in standardized cognitive assessment tools for older adults.
• Geriatric Foundations eLearning Program An online e-learning program delivering foundational knowledge in geriatric care to healthcare professionals and trainees.
• iGeriCare Dementia eLearning An e-learning resource providing dementia education for patients, family caregivers, and clinicians.
• Positive Aging and Well-being Workshop A workshop promoting positive aging and well-being, designed for older adults and the practitioners who support them.
• Pre-retirement Course An educational course preparing individuals for the transition into retirement, with a focus on healthy aging.
• Certified Cognitive Groove Instructor Course A certified instructor training course that qualifies participants to deliver the Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE) brain-health and movement program to older adults.
• SixthSense Mobility Wellness Device An award-winning mobility wellness device that uses advanced radar sensing to measure gait speed (the Sixth Vital Sign) in under six seconds, providing real-time feedback via LED lights, audio, and health reports without wearables or cameras.
• Fit-Frailty App A mobile digital health application for measuring and monitoring frailty in older adults.
• PREVENT Fracture Prevention Program A fracture prevention program tested in a multicenter trial across 122 long-term care homes to reduce falls and fractures among residents.
• Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE) Community Program A community-based dance rehabilitation program combining cognitive and physical exercise to improve brain health and movement in older adults, delivered in partnership with YMCA LiveWell.
• GeriEvidence Podcast A podcast dedicated to translating aging and dementia research into practice for clinicians, researchers, and care partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fracture Risk Scale predicts hip fracture with area under curve of 0.67-0.69 in derivation and validation samples
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Hamilton Health SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeras Centre is a research centre embedded within Hamilton Health Sciences, one of Canada's largest and top-ranked academic health sciences centres. This is the primary institutional home for the center's research operations.
• McMaster UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeras Centre is affiliated with McMaster University, providing academic partnership for research and training the next generation of leaders in aging research.
• Regional Geriatric Program Central (RGPc)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to actively disseminate educational resources and programs to help meet the needs of older adults and their care partners across the region.
• YMCA of Hamilton Burlington BrantfordmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide LiveWell health management programs including Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE) and Optimal Fitness through YMCA facilities.
• McMaster Health Innovation Hub (The Clinic)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Clinic helps clinicians and scientist-innovators accelerate health innovation through mentorship, training, and hands-on resources to turn early ideas into impactful technologies.
• IGC PharmamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical trial partnership for CALMA, a multicenter Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating IGC-AD1 cannabis-based medication for agitation in Alzheimer's dementia.
• OsNET (Ontario Bone Network)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanadian network of multidisciplinary scientists, clinicians, patient partners and bone health organizations formed to create new knowledge and provide advocacy and leadership for bone research in Canada.
• The Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational research network of which COMPASS-ND is the signature clinical study, focusing on dementia and neurodegenerative disease research.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (UHN): Toronto Rehab, part of University Health Network, is a Canadian rehabilitation research and care institution with strong geriatric and mobility research programs. Comparable to Geras on rehabilitation research, mobility assessment technology, and clinical trials in older adults.
• Bruyère Research Institute: Bruyère Research Institute is a Canadian academic research organization focused on aging, long-term care, and primary care research, with embedded affiliation to a hospital system. Directly comparable to Geras in mission, structure, and focus on geriatric clinical research and care innovation.
• Rotman Research Institute (Baycrest): Rotman Research Institute, part of Baycrest, is a leading Canadian brain aging and dementia research center embedded within a healthcare organization. Highly comparable to Geras on aging-related clinical trials, brain health research, and knowledge translation to care.
• McGill University Research Centre on Aging: A Canadian academic research center focused on aging research affiliated with a major university. Comparable to Geras on mission, focus on aging populations, and academic-clinical research model.

Regional players

• Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute: VCHRI is a major Canadian health research institute embedded in a regional health authority, conducting clinical research across multiple specialties including aging. Comparable in structure and academic-clinical integration, though focused on a different Canadian region.
• Sunnybrook Research Institute: Sunnybrook Research Institute is a Canadian academic research center affiliated with a major Toronto hospital, conducting clinical trials and health technology development. Comparable in embedded academic-hospital structure and clinical trial execution.
• Alberta Health Services Research: Alberta Health Services operates research programs including aging and seniors' health initiatives embedded in a provincial health system. Comparable in scale, public system integration, and aging population focus, though in a different Canadian region.
• Lady Davis Institute (Jewish General Hospital): Lady Davis Institute is a research center within a major Montreal teaching hospital conducting clinical and translational research, including aging-related studies. Comparable in embedded hospital-based research structure and clinical trial execution.
• St. Joseph's Health Care London (Parkwood Institute): Parkwood Institute, part of St. Joseph's Health Care London, conducts rehabilitation and geriatric care research in Southwestern Ontario. Comparable to Geras on rehabilitation and aging research, geriatric clinical programs, and Ontario healthcare system integration.

Emerging players

• Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI): CABHI is a Canadian innovation accelerator focused on aging and brain health solutions, partnering with healthcare organizations to scale geriatric innovations. Comparable to Geras on translating aging research into deployable products and programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-geras-centre-for-aging-research

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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