Welcome to the
Myrna Daniels Seniors Emergency Medicine Centre
OUR MISSION
Transforming care for complex, frail seniors in emergency settings
Thank you to the John and Myrna Daniels Foundation for their landmark contribution to establish Canada’s first purpose-built seniors emergency medicine centre at UHN.
Slated to open in 2026, the landmark physical space will be located at Toronto Western Hospital and will have full Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation as approved by the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Note: The centre will not have public access, all patients requiring emergency care should enter
What is SEMC?
Older adults face unique challenges during visits to the ED, an stressful and unfamiliar environment. Data shows heightened risk of adverse outcomes. Seniors often require specialized, coordinated care to address complex clinical, functional, social needs and ensure safe transitions after leaving the hospital.
OUR GOALS
Care
Improve care quality and care pathway integration for seniors in UHN’s emergency departments and beyond.
Reduced Risk
Reduce risks of adverse outcomes by reducing seniors’ length of stay in ED, unnecessary admissions, and post-discharge outcomes such as return visits, functional decline, and mortality.
Change
Influence system-wide change and share learnings globally for sustained, scalable impact
Our pillars for improving care of seniors:
Space
Build a space that promotes a safe, healing environment
Care & Community
Re-design care around complex medical and supportive care needs
Education
Train today and tomorrow’s providers to translate knowledge to practice
Research
Uncover, understand, predict seniors care needs and outcomes
A Message from our Donor
“Living a long life is a privilege, one that comes with its mounting health challenges. We see it as our personal responsibility to ensure that everyone can age with grace, dignity and respect – and having access to the very best health care is key.”
“Establishing the Seniors Emergency Medicine Centre is a gift to our peers and the generations that age after us. The centre will be the guiding light for best practices in caring for older adults in Toronto and throughout this country.”
SUPPORT OUR MISSION TO TRANSFORM SENIORS’ CARE
Collaborate with us
We invite researchers, healthcare professionals, and institutions to partner with us in transforming seniors’ care. Get in touch if you have any questions or are interested in:
- Collaborating on a research study
- Applying for UHN’s Seniors Emergency Medicine Fellowship
Share your feedback
Your perspective as a patient or partner is essential. Share your thoughts on how we can continue improving care for seniors at SEMC:
- Provide feedback on a recent experience in the ED
- Contribute to our next patient engagement initiative
Support our work
The SEMC was made possible through the generosity of our donor who believe in transforming the way seniors receive emergency care. With your support, we can continue to innovate, educate, and lead the way in improving care for seniors.
Your contributions can help us:
- Expand our research to find new ways to improve care for frail seniors.
- Train more healthcare professionals to provide specialized care for seniors.
- Enhance physical space to make hospitals safer and more welcome for older adults and their people.
Ways to Give:
- Make a Donation
- Become a Monthly Donor
MEET THE TEAM
SEMC is led by dedicated experts passionate about improving seniors’ care. Our team represents diverse expertise across domains of clinical care, education, research, digital, data, quality improvement, and more.
Tessa Ringer
Medical Director
Nazek Abdelmutti
Strategy & Implementation Director
Lauren Lapointe-Shaw
Research Director
Alice Gray
Education Director
Maxim Ben-Yakov
Clinical Informatics Lead
Kristine Kim
Geriatric Medicine Lead
Joseph Choi
Quality Improvement Lead
Sameer Masood
Quality Improvement Lead