The fastest growing segment of the population is 85 and older. With that in mind, the University of Nebraska Medical Center is preparing for the future by breaking ground Wednesday on a $10.2 million senior care center.

More than 36 million Americans are currently over the age of 65. In 22 years, that number will nearly double. This facility will be the only free-standing center tied to a medical school.

The Home Instead Center For Successful Aging will be a three-story, 30,000 square foot facility located on the corner of 38th Avenue and Leavenworth.

The center is named for Home Instead Senior Care, the world's largest, private non-medical home to seniors, founded by Nebraskans Paul and Lori Hogan. They are the driving force behind UNMC’s successful aging center. The couple’s senior care program takes care of day-to-day chores so seniors can continue to live at home.

"We do companionship, housekeeping, meal preparation, errands, medical reminders, some personal services so that the senior can stay in their own home," says Paul.

With the growing number of seniors, the Hogans are hoping to attract more students to the field of geriatrics by building their facility on a college campus.

"There’s gonna be so many elderly people needing care, we want more and more students to reap the benefits of working with the elderly and getting involved in geriatrics," says Lori.

Sue White is one of 50,000 caregivers worldwide who work for Home Instead. She gives Pat a helping hand and the two are just like family. Sue understands how important it is that Pat stays at home as long as she can.

"I used to work in a nursing home when I was younger and you just lose your will. It’s true, people just don’t want to be in a strange place, they want to be comfortable. Pat wouldn’t leave her house for nothing."

“Oh, more important than I could tell you,” says Pat. “It’s the best thing in the world."

The money to build the center will come entirely from private donations and create a centralized location for geriatric medicine and psychiatry. Construction is expected to be completed in the spring of 2010.