Why a Career in Aging?
Consider a few of the facts:
- By 2030, one out of every five people in the United States will be 65 years or older.
- By 2035, there will be 78 million people age 65 years and older compared to 76.7 million under the age of 18 representing the first time in U.S. history our older adult population will outnumber children under 18.
- In 2019, 24% of persons 65 and older in the U.S. were minorities.
- Most older persons have at least one chronic condition and many have multiple conditions.
- More than 65 million people, 29% of the U.S. population, provide care for a chronically ill, disabled, or aged family member or friend during any given year.
- About seven in 10 people turning 65 today will need some type of long-term care services either at home, in their community or in a facility.
Sources: US Administration on Aging and the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Resources for Identifying Your Career in Aging
- The National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) is a source of information for licensing exams, continuing education, state-specific requirements, and other information for becoming a Long Term Care Nursing Administrator.
- Service coordination is a growing profession dedicated to assisting over one million low-income seniors, families and individuals with disabilities residing in affordable housing. Service coordinators help seniors receive access to needed supportive services necessary to remain in their homes and avoid premature admission to nursing homes. Visit the American Association of Service Coordinators (AASC), the leading voice for the profession, to learn more about this critically needed and cost-effective profession.
- Additionally, the Professional Service Coordinator Certificate Program (PSC) is the professional development and continuing education program for Service Coordinators. Learn More
- To learn more about organizations working to change the face of long-term care and to explore possible career opportunities within these initiatives, visit the Pioneer Network and the Eden Alternative.
- The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education provides a broad range of information about training opportunities and careers in aging on their Careers In Aging web site.
- The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) website includes a comprehensive and ever-changing listing of available jobs across the country along with other resources in aging.
- LeadingAge provides an overview of careers in aging services along with web links for a number of organizations representing career specialties in the aging services field.
- The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) recognizes the changing demographics in our country and across the world, and has created the Aging Initiative to raise awareness about the breadth of geriatric social work practice, and increase the numbers of professionally trained and credentialed social workers who serve older adults and their families.