$10-million lead gift from Peter Cipriano launches center for seniors health
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center held a ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Peter Cipriano Centre for Seniors Health. The new center is made possible thanks to generous donor support, including a visionary $10-million lead gift from Peter Cipriano, founder and principal of Gold Park Homes and philanthropist, whose commitment has inspired many others to donate.
The Peter Cipriano Center will be open to patients next week and will have a lasting impact on the health and well-being of seniors in our community.
The Peter Cipriano Center for Seniors Health will advance Sunnybrook’s leadership in geriatric care, and is pivotal in our goal to lead system transformation with partners to improve access in the areas of specialized care.
As part of Sunnybrook’s vision to invent the future of health care, a new model is being introduced to transform how seniors and their families receive care.
Focused on integration and patient-centered support, this outpatient approach will help older adults stay healthy and live independently for as long as possible by coordinating care with community providers.
The Peter Cipriano Center will be home to this innovative model, offering comprehensive geriatric assessments for patients over 70 who visit the Emergency Department but do not require urgent care—ensuring they receive the right support in the right setting, while also helping to reduce wait times.
Clinical teams at the Peter Cipriano Center develop personalized care plans that coordinate the expertise of geriatricians, hospital specialists, primary care physicians, and community and family supports.
Designed to help seniors remain healthy and independent, the center features a purpose-built, senior-friendly environment with wider corridors, handrails, and natural lighting. It offers targeted programs that support aging at home and help reduce hospital visits and readmissions.
In Ontario, seniors make up the fastest growing segment of the population and are the greatest users of health care. Through integrated, one-stop facilities, research-inspired care and coordinated access to specialized geriatric services and community resources, the Peter Cipriano Center is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of our aging population.
“The Peter Cipriano Center for Seniors Health will advance Sunnybrook’s leadership in geriatric care, and is pivotal in our goal to lead system transformation with partners to improve access in the areas of specialized care,” says Dr. Andy Smith, President and CEO of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
“The center’s unique integrated model enables collaboration within the hospital and with community partners, ensuring seniors receive comprehensive, compassionate care at every step of their patient journey.”
“Philanthropy is a change maker in health care,” says Kelly Cole, President and CEO, Sunnybrook Foundation. “When we partner with visionary philanthropists like Peter Cipriano — it empowers us to think bigger, push the boundaries of innovation and care, and create special spaces like the Peter Cipriano Center, a powerful testament to the collective spirit and generosity of our donor community, who donated over $23 million.”
“Geriatric care is important. I saw with my own parents how aging brings challenges, and now I experience firsthand that with the right care, seniors can stay independent, remain close to their families, and live healthier lives,” shares Peter Cipriano. “Sunnybrook has always been close to my heart for the exceptional care they’ve provided my family, and I want others to experience the same.”
For decades, Sunnybrook has been a leader in geriatric care in Ontario, and is a core site in Canada’s largest geriatric medicine subspecialty training program. Sunnybrook’s Geriatric Day Hospital and Falls Prevention Program were the first of their kind in the province, with the Peter Cipriano Center for Seniors Health expanding the scope of services Sunnybrook provides.
The new Peter Cipriano Center for Seniors Health is a 13,000 square-foot custom-designed space based around the needs of seniors, inspired by research and consultation with seniors and families.
An onsite rapid referral pathway will allow seniors with more complex health needs to be seen and treated in the Peter Cipriano Center, diverting patient visits from the Emergency Department.
The Peter Cipriano Center will include a mobile outreach team to assess patient needs in their homes, and bring together comprehensive outpatient clinics and augmentative services such as audiology, mobility and optometry clinics.
The center also features the Honey & Barry Sherman Garden, providing a therapeutic outdoor space for patients and their families, a multi-purpose patient lounge, which includes an Activities of Daily Living (ADL) kitchen, designed for older adults to participate in meaningful daily tasks that support independence and cognitive function.