Serena Maria warmly remembers the first older person she took care of. “Her name was Liberty Bell, and she was born on [the] Fourth of July and she was the sweetest thing,” Maria said. For about a year, Maria would go to the nonegenarian’s home in Southern California three to seven days a week to help her get dressed, take a shower and eat her meals. Maria loved the connection she built with Liberty Bell and the feeling of helping someone. But finding enough people like Maria to care for this country’s aging population in their homes and nursing facilities is a major challenge.
