Niagara has one of the highest populations of older adults in Canada, with nearly one in four residents aged 65 and older.
This demographic reality is reshaping healthcare across the region, with about half of all patients admitted to hospital in Niagara being a senior, there is a growing demand for specialized services, coordinated care and environments designed with aging in mind.
June was Seniors’ Month and also Stroke Awareness Month, making it a fitting time to highlight how the South Niagara Hospital has been thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of Niagara’s older adult population. From its programs and services to its physical layout - there is a deliberate focus on supporting older adults and ensuring that seniors can access targeted, high-quality care close to home.
Central to this vision will be the featured Centre of Excellence for Stroke. The Niagara District Stroke Centre (NDSC) is currently based out of the Niagara Falls Hospital and is the regional centre for stroke care, achieving Accreditation Canada’s Stroke Distinction award in 2025. When the South Niagara Hospital opens in 2028, its featured Centre of Excellence in Stroke will continue to provide high-quality care throughout the stroke care continuum, ranging from emergency response and acute treatment to community reintegration.
Complementing this is the inpatient Complex Care Program, which supports seniors’ living with multiple or chronic conditions through coordinated, multidisciplinary care. The program delivers patient and family-centred services across three streams: medically complex care, low-intensity rehabilitation and palliative care. Within this program, there will be a dedicated Cognitive Care Support Unit providing a safer, more supportive environment for patients with dementia and other cognitive conditions, including enhanced rehabilitative spaces tailored to their needs.
Read this article and more in the July issue of the South Niagara Hospital Project Newsletter.
The Wellness in Aging Centre of Excellence will offer services through an interdisciplinary team and includes both outpatient and outreach programs, helping ensure accessible, preventative and ongoing care for residents over 65 across the region.
Seniors’ needs are diverse and often interconnected and these specialized Centres of Excellence along with the emergency department, outpatient mental health and addictions services, hemodialysis unit, medical imaging, surgical services and the many other programs that will be offered at the new hospital will help strengthen care coordination, improve patient outcomes and support healthier aging across the region. Together, these programs are grounded in a broader commitment to wellness in aging - an approach that emphasizes prevention, early intervention and preserving quality of life - ensuring seniors are supported at every stage of their health journey.
Designed with seniors in mind
While the programs offered in the hospital are important, a lot of attention was also given to the physical environment where care will be delivered. The South Niagara Hospital was designed to make care easier to access, navigate and experience for people of all ages and abilities.
More than 160 accessibility features have been incorporated throughout the hospital, from lighting, flooring and handrails to intuitive wayfinding, clear signage and welcoming outdoor spaces. These thoughtful design elements will help patients and visitors move through the hospital with greater ease, independence and confidence.
Getting to and around the hospital will also be simpler. Multiple entrances, convenient parking, more than 100 accessible parking spaces and rest areas every 30 metres both inside and outside of the building will help reduce barriers and make visits more comfortable.
The design goes beyond accessibility standards to create an environment that is safe, intuitive and supportive - especially for older adults. Features such as clear sightlines, mobility-friendly layouts and carefully designed spaces can help reduce stress and make navigating the hospital easier for patients and families.
Recognizing that healing involves more than physical care, the hospital will also include a multi-denominational spiritual care space and an Indigenous Healing Space, supporting the emotional, spiritual and cultural needs of patients and visitors.
By combining clinical excellence with inclusive, people-centered design, the South Niagara Hospital is being built to support healthy aging and deliver exceptional care for generations to come.
