Editorial

ELDERCARE RENAMING IS FITTING TRIBUT TO HOOVER

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The Eldercare Center on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University has been renamed the Grace V. Hoover Eldercare Center Program. It is a fitting tribute to a woman who has raised the level of consciousness about elderly care in Southeast Missouri.

University officials say the honor recognizes her "unparalleled success in getting outside funding and local support that led to the creation of a series of programs designed to serve the needs of the elderly." These words say a lot about Hoover's dedication and drive. She was instrumental in the formation of the Center for Aging and Gerontology Studies at the university, and served as its first director. She was also the driving force behind the Eldercare Center, the elderhostel program and the geriatrics sitters training program.

The Eldercare center remains a model for the state and nation. It is the only licensed, social, adult day-care facility in Missouri for people age 60 and over.

After hosting the first elderhostel on campus in 1979, Hoover devised the eldercare concept. Using a grant from the local Area Agency on Aging, the center opened next to the old St. Francis Hospital.

Hoover admits her successes in promoting elder care, also reveal how far society has to go in this area. She feels far too many senior citizens are stuck in long-term care facilities because of lack of day-care programs.

As our society continues to age, demand for these services will continue to increase. No doubt future programs across the state and nation will be built upon the solid foundation of knowledge that Hoover has laid.

After 30 years of service to the university, Hoover retired in 1990. But retirement hasn't stopped her contributions. She continues as a professor emeritus and academic advising coordinator in Southeast's College of Health and Human Services.

Throughout her career, Hoover has shown that caring matters. Fittingly in this holiday season, we are reminded of that fact with the renaming of the Eldercare program.