New initiative targets caregiving and wealth-transfer planning
Raymond James Ltd. has announced an expanded partnership with Baycrest Foundation, naming the Toronto-based academic health sciences organization as a 2026 Impact Partner in a bid to help Canadian families navigate the financial implications of cognitive decline and aging.
The move deepens a relationship that stretches back 25 years, bringing together Baycrest’s research expertise in brain health and dementia with Raymond James’ wealth management services. The partnership aims to encourage earlier financial planning conversations that account for the realities of longer lifespans, caregiving costs, and cognitive change.
The announcement comes against a backdrop of growing concern among Canadians. According to Raymond James research, 63% of Canadians worry about how cognitive decline could affect their financial future, yet only 29% feel strongly aligned with their families on inheritance and wealth planning when brain health enters the discussion.
The scale of the challenge is significant. Canada had approximately 771,939 people living with dementia in 2025, a figure projected to surpass 1 million by 2031, with associated care costs expected to rise sharply in step.
Micol Haimson, senior vice-president and national director at Raymond James Ltd., said the firm wants to help families begin difficult conversations before a crisis forces the issue.
“Brain health is an increasingly important consideration in financial planning as Canadians live longer and cognitive decline becomes more prevalent among our aging family members,” Haimson said. “Through our relationship with Baycrest Foundation, we want to help families feel more comfortable starting these conversations earlier – and putting plans in place that protect themselves and their loved ones before a crisis happens.”
The program will cover practical topics including recognizing early functional changes that may affect financial management, budgeting for future care costs, and supporting family harmony during wealth-transfer discussions. It will also address the particular pressures facing the so-called sandwich generation – middle-aged adults simultaneously caring for aging parents and their own children – with a focus on women balancing caregiving, careers, and family finances.
Josh Cooper, president and CEO of Baycrest Foundation, said the expanded partnership reflects a shared mission.
“Raymond James began its relationship with Baycrest 25 years ago, and we are proud to recognize them as a Baycrest Impact Partner in 2026,” Cooper said. “Today, their support reflects a shared commitment to advancing healthy aging, brain health, and financial well-being, including the prevention and treatment of dementia, helping drive meaningful progress for individuals and families.”
Planned initiatives include Baycrest expert-led webinars, advisor education sessions, and engagement with the Women Mind Matters community, where caregiving and financial decision-making are central themes.
