As baby boomers barrel toward retirement and Americans live longer and more active lives, eldercare becomes an increasingly hot topic. But TCU’s Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences is ahead of the curve.

More than two decades ago, at the urging of nursing Professor Mildred Hogstel, Harris was among the first programs in the nation to require a gerontological nursing course in the undergraduate program.

“In about the last decade or so we’ve begun to focus a lot of our [research] efforts in this area,” said Paulette G. Burns, director of TCU Nursing Programs.

The numbers of those who will need care are increasing dramatically, Burns added. “Our needs change as we age, and others often end up having to care for us.”

You are a caregiver if:
*You worry about the safety or welfare of an aging relative.
*You help an older person with grocery shopping, paying bills, house cleaning.
*You provide personal care (bathing, feeding, grooming) to a person who needs assistance in these areas.