Mercer's director, the Rev. Dr. Canon Denis C. Brunelle, said that the collaboration launches a new direction for the school.

"Mercer is moving beyond its traditional educational offerings by addressing aging, an urgent societal issue that impacts all of us," he said.

Mercer board member, Irene V. Jackson-Brown, Ph.D. who is a CSA, is coordinating the effort. She proposed this training program.

"There is an imbalance in this society between curing and caring and that imbalance will become more dramatic as seniors live with chronic illnesses that cannot be cured," she said.

More than 25,000 individuals have been trained and certified by the CSA program. They include family and paid caregivers, accountants, attorneys, business executives, clergy, CPAs, doctors, nurses and pharmacists, financial planners, funeral directors, geriatric care professionals, home health care professionals, insurance agents, realtors, reverse mortgage lenders, senior housing professionals, social workers, and many others.

The special discounted fee of $1,050 (the usual CSA fee is $1,300) includes the 3 1/2 day course (September 26-29), the CSA 800-page textbook, meals, workbook/study guide and the exam, taken on the final day. Fifteen Life and Health Continuing Education credits can be earned.