We know the “silver tsunami” is brewing—millions of baby boomers are growing older each day, requiring a sharp look by the healthcare industry at large at how their needs will be met in coming years.

A few facts that came out of this year’s Environments for Aging Conference paint that picture even more clearly: There are more than 41.4 million people in the U.S. age 65 and over; the number of 45- to 65-year-olds who will eventually need aging housing and services is 82.8 million; and the overall elderly population is expected to increase 102 percent between 2000 and 2030.

But it’s not just about the sheer number of individuals who are going to need services. The full picture comes into view when you also consider those individuals’ expectations for the space where they’ll be served.

The long-term care environment has come a long way, and it’s on a trajectory that will likely see even more wholesale changes in decades to come. Baby boomers strive to age in place first and move to facilities when necessary. And the desire for a homelike environment remains constant.

As Barbara Horwitz-Bennett reported in “Healthcare Design for the Ages,” modern long-term care environments call for more intimate living environments, decentralized staff work areas, and plenty of amenities, ranging from multipurpose rooms for social events and dining areas designed as restaurants to fitness and spa spaces and game rooms.

While there’s plenty to do to brace for what’s to come, it’s also important to celebrate what’s already been accomplished. This year’s Environments for Aging Remodel/Renovation competition strives to do just that.

Categories for this year’s remodel contest are staff areas, indoor-outdoor connections, and destinations. Our readers—including architects, interior designers, and facilities—wishing to highlight innovative and thoughtful design approaches that brought new life to a long-term care space are encouraged to take part.

Entries will be reviewed by a panel of experts appointed by the Society for the Advancement of Gerontological Environments (SAGE). The top three in each category will be posted online for reader voting, with the winners announced at the 2014 Environments for Aging Conference and published in the Fall 2013 issue of Environments for Aging.

The deadline is May 16. For more information, please visit: www.environmentsforaging.com/page/environments-aging-2013-remodelrenovation-competition.

And don’t forget Healthcare Design’s 2013 Remodel/Renovation Competition coming up soon. Watch our website for more information—the contest launches May 22 and winners will be honored at the 2013 Healthcare Design Conference (Nov. 16-19) in Orlando.