In 2019 we kicked off a 2-year research project with the Innovation in Dementia and Aging (IDEA) Lab at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Research was conducted in 3 memory care communities in Vancouver, BC and at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH). The project was headed up by Dr. Lillian Hung RN PhD. Dr. Hung is an Associate Professor at UBC and she holds the Canada Research Chair in Senior Care.
Nicknamed the TV Study, this research investigated how Zinnia TV could be used as a resource improving the quality of life and psychosocial well-being of residents living in long-term care and patients in geriatric acute care that live with mid to late stage memory loss.
Publications:
The research resulted in a number of publications and posters, with the best summary of approach and findings being found here:
The Perspective of Nurses and Healthcare Providers on the use of Television Videos with People with Moderate to Severe Dementia
Summary of Findings:
Five themes and 3 sub-themes were identified:
From the paper cited above – ‘The findings of our study also challenged the stance of earlier generations of dementia care experts who labelled TV videos as an altogether inappropriate activity for persons with dementia. The participants suggested that they recognized TV videos as useful to comfort a person with dementia who is in emotional distress, form connections with the person with dementia, bring people together, facilitate ADLs, and help the person connect with their past.’
In March of 2025 we kicked off a 3 month research project using funds awarded by the Digital Health Sandbox Program. Administered by the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) at the MassTech Collaborative, this program is designed to both support digital health companies in their product development and expand the user base for sandbox environments.
Zinnia partnered in this research with the New England Deaconess Association. Specifically we are working with a Deaconess Abundant Life Community that is testing Zinnia in two ways.
Zinnia as a tool to support Enrichment Programming
Zinnia is working closely with the Activities Director at a Deaconess Senior Living community to test the use of Zinnia videos as tools to support enrichment programming in both Memory Care and Assisted Living. Zinnia videos are being used to both supplement and enhance daily programming, and to provide enrichment staff with new kinds of activities.
Zinnia as a tool to support home health care
In addition to operating Senior Living Communities, Deaconess sends caregivers to support people who continue to live with dementia in their own homes.
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The Brenda Strafford Foundation in Calgary, Canada is using testing Zinnia in 3 longterm care communities to test efficacy as a tool to:
This video, shared by researchers in April, 2025 points to early success.
Zinnia is working with Durham Veteran Affairs in Durham, North Carolina to evaluate the use of Zinnia as Delirium Prevention Approach as part of a Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) program.
Population and Problem:
Intervention:
Outcomes:
