Aging has been causing significant changes in people s lives. According to the United Nations, the number of individuals over 80 in the world is expected to triple by 2050. Dementia cases are also expected to triple. Longevity is an achievement, but it brings along a greater number of people in risk of becoming unable to take care of themselves. In Brazil, the Constitution establishes that support for the elderly must be carried out in their homes preferably. However, caring for an elderly person with functional limitations is complex and families are not always able to do so. Long-term care Institutions (LTCIs) can offer the support that families need to care for their elderly. However, they face social prejudice and are not consolidated as a service capable of helping society to deal with the challenges of aging. This dissertation is based on Ezio Manzini s approach to design for social innovation, according to which designers must create favorable conditions for people without formal design knowledge to develop, in a collaborative way, solutions appropriate to their needs. The research aimed to explore the field of possibilities of LTCIs. Therefore, tools of service design were used to get to know the LTCIs; to identify the main demands of the family in the care of the elderly and the main challenges of the LTCIs managers in service management. The study showed the relevance and the urgency of the contribution of the designer specialized in strengthening the service of ILPIs, through the application of collaborative methods and tools with the various stakeholders of this service.