The Chess Institute of Canada has been providing top-quality chess instruction, events, and programming for over 20 years.
We’re excited to offer programming to seniors’ communities, retirement residences, and community centres!
What chess brings to the table:
- Boost Cognitive Health: Chess keeps the mind sharp. It stimulates cognitive functions, improving memory, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking. Engaging in regular chess games can help delay the onset of cognitive decline and dementia.
- Promote Social Interaction: Chess fosters social connections, creating a sense of community among residents. Friendly matches and group tournaments provide excellent opportunities for socialization, reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness.
- Enhance Emotional Well-Being: The strategic nature of chess provides a sense of accomplishment and purpose. It encourages patience, discipline, and perseverance, positively impacting residents’ emotional health.
Bringing chess to your community!
Canada’s population is aging. Seniors are looking for ways to stave off loneliness and maintain their mental acuity by participating in fun and mentally stimulating activities with new friends.
The Chess Institute of Canada has created a bold new program to support Canadian seniors, and we hope you join us along this journey!
Launching in September 2025, our Chess for Life program will bring year-round chess-based programming to residents of publicly funded long-term care homes in Toronto and Vancouver. While interest is strong, many smaller homes lack the resources to cover program costs and have requested charitable support to make participation possible.
A growing body of international research confirms that chess offers significant mental and social benefits for older adults. Regular play stimulates memory, concentration, and problem-solving—skills that help protect against cognitive decline and dementia. Just as importantly, chess promotes social engagement and emotional well-being through shared learning and friendly competition.
Studies from respected institutions, such as the American Psychological Association, show that chess can reduce anxiety and depression while enhancing overall cognitive function and quality of life for seniors. In collaboration with the Baycrest Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation, CIC is contributing to research exploring how game-based programs may help reduce dementia risk. Baycrest has contracted CIC to provide weekly chess programming to residents in one of its long-term care homes beginning in September 2025.
Beyond long-term care settings, our programs have also seen strong uptake in community spaces. At four Toronto Public Library branches, CIC has built a loyal following of participants who enjoy learning strategy, forethought, and focus—while also developing the ability to read an opponent’s intentions through gameplay. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and TPL has expressed a desire to expand the program to more branches. We are actively seeking funding to meet this growing demand.
How you can help improve the lives of Canadian seniors
- The Chess for Life program offers 1–2-hour activities for up to 12 weeks per session to a maximum group of 15 pairs of seniors. Ideally, we will host three 12-week sessions over the year, ending each session with a celebratory tournament to reinforce participants’ confidence and progress. CIC’s experienced instructors will deliver lessons focused on chess strategies
and practices that can enhance the real-life experiences of seniors. - The health and safety of seniors is our highest priority. All of our 30+ instructors have passed the Canadian Vulnerable Sector Check.
- Should an instructor feel unwell or be unavoidably absent, the depth of our pool of excellent instructors allows us to offer seniors’ homes a 100% guarantee that we never have to disappoint seniors by canceling a session.
Contact us today to see what the Chess Institute of Canada can do for you!
