Canada?s older adult population increased by nearly one million people over the last five years and is projected to grow exponentially more in the coming decades. This will leave support systems, and especially the long-term care sector, scrambling to keep up. Long-term care (LTC) facilities have faced extensive scrutiny following the pandemic, opening Canadians? eyes to the importance of these spaces and the need to combat concerns including social isolation, physical accessibility and more. 
What can be done to make LTC facilities better suited to present and future needs" The following are some key considerations that designers should keep in mind when retrofitting existing spaces and creating new ones for aging Canadians.    Age-appropriate biophilic elements 
Green space is often an after-thought in the development of LTC facilities, especially in urban contexts where designers feel pressure to maximize building heights and footprints, but the benefits of such spaces are immense. Even the ability to view a natural landscape from a roof terrace or smell fresh flowers in a communal garden can be therapeutic for residents. In a post-pandemic world, however, age-appropriate?spaces must provide protection from the elements using canopied patios and cantilevers, while simultaneously ensuring proper social distancing.?Consider spreading out seating and table areas to allow residents to meaningfully engage in social activity, as opposed to activity and programming sp...