Over the next 20 years, the number of Canadians over 65 is expected to grow by 68 per cent. And yet Canada is largely unprepared to meet the medical and housing needs of its growing senior population. Across the country, new long-term care facilities and senior residences are opening their doors as provinces scramble to catch up with demand.
There’s also more attention being paid to end-of-life and palliative-care facilities. The Gies Family Centre, a hospice that recently opened in Waterloo, Ontario, looks more like a spa than an end-of-life residence. It can accommodate 11 people at a time and is designed to make their last days as comfortable as possible.
At Maclean’s we regularly highlight innovative new buildings across the country, and this one is a model for what hospices should look like. Designed by NEO Architecture, the 27,000-square-foot facility has a cozy, barn-inspired vibe, crafted with limestone and hardwood and featuring loads of natural light. There’s a hair salon, a spiritual room and lots of space for visitors. One of the architects behind the project told Maclean’s: “It’s a place with a soul.”
–Sarah Fulford, editor-in-chief, Maclean’s
