A career in elder care is a career in which individuals get to help people every day, perform medical duties, and truly help improve the quality of life for individuals who may have been somewhat left behind by a rapidly changing society (for example: ageism in healthcare is a growing concern).
As the population, as a whole, continues to live longer, and one of the largest generations, the baby boomers, are reaching ages where they may require elder care, job demand is something that can be added to the list of reasons for pursuing a career in elder care.
Here are some different career options in elder care that may be the perfect fit for you:
1. Social Worker
Social workers with a focus in geriatrics perform duties related to the daily well-being of members in their society who are experiencing environmental and social difficulties due to their age.
Those who are looking for a career in this field should possess strong leadership and team building skills, as it’s often very important for both the individual’s happiness to try to get the family involved as much as possible, but also regarding decisions that may need to be made regarding the health of the elderly client.
2. Audiologist
Almost 50 million Americans suffer from some degree of hearing loss, and though not all of those individuals are members of the elderly population, a very good portion are.
Though the job is very rewarding (you literally help people maintain one of their 5 senses), it is a job that requires a doctorate degree, so the time and financial commitments are not small.
As technology in the field of audiology continues to grow at a rapid pace, however, a job in this field includes some “cool” tech advancements in addition to helping the elderly.
3. Psychologist
Another field of elder care that requires education beyond a bachelor’s degree is that of a psychologist.
Whereas psychiatrists search for mental illness, and prescribe medications for those issues, psychologists simply talk about issues and help patients come up with resolutions.
When dealing with elderly, much of this is family oriented, and psychologists who work with the elderly often provide therapy to help patients cope with the fact that they are, indeed, on the back end of their lives, but should see the good in that as well.
Empathy and passion are two must-have traits for those wanting to pursue careers as elder psychologists.
4. Physical Therapist
A lot of times when people think of physical therapy, they think of athletes, or peers recovering from surgeries.
Our elderly friends need physical therapy, as well, and just as PT helps the body recover after surgery, it also helps elder’s bodies recover after a day’s activities.
Physical therapists who work with the elderly generally need a graduate degree as well, and there are many different sectors of elder PT that one can focus on. Aquatic fitness is a trend with a lot of popularity among elderly patients.
5. Music Therapist
If you have a love for or interest in music, a career in music therapy is definitely worth looking into, and many music therapists work with elderly people.
Music therapy helps elderly people increase their social activity, as well as their hearing, it reduces stress, and, most importantly, helps them enjoy their day!
Those looking to pursue a career in music therapy have a growing number of educational opportunities, as this field continues to be very well-received by the senior community.
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This list is not exhaustive, and there are many other fun careers related to elderly care, but these are some that should prove to have many job openings for the foreseeable future.
