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A collaborative group drawn from various local public institutions and organizations has been reflecting since 2007 on the issue of aging populations and the prevention of age-related dependency within the framework of a public health project. This paper describes the approach used in this research and the results produced by a working group that was asked to imagine ideal elderly care institutions for the future. Based on an internet forum and semi-structured interviews, four workshops were organized during a symposium attended by local professionals specializing in gerontology. Thirty recommendations were put forward, grouped according to eight separate items. The various recommendations reflect three levels of innovation: innovation aimed at translating discourse into practice; innovation aimed at improving current practices; and innovation involving a change in long-established norms and habits. The practical implementation of these innovations will begin shortly with the support of a number of elderly care institutions.