With an aging population and more people living for longer, there is high demand for candidates and professionals in the fields of gerontology. Gerontology focuses on providing care for the elderly, while also helping seniors cope with the effects of aging. There are numerous career options available in this field, and this article will look at the best ones.
Health Education
Health educators work with communities in general and seniors in particular to help them learn how to take care of themselves. Some responsibilities in this area include researching the needs of the communities and groups you are responsible for, overseeing volunteers and employees, and creating educational material. You may also be asked to present some of your programs and materials at seminars and in senior homes to help them improve the level of care they provide. Health educators will sometimes also work directly with caregivers to help them provider better services.
Caregiving
Caregiving is a great career option for caring individuals who would like to provide care to seniors, especially those living in assisted living homes. While this is a very challenging career, it is also very rewarding. With many seniors requiring care, there are some amazing senior living caregiver jobs and opportunities at facilities like Belmont Village, who are looking for passionate, caring caregivers to provide care for their residents.
A career in caregiving does not require special qualifications, although many facilities require that you hold a high school diploma or higher. This career option is also great for those who want to get into geriatric nursing.
Home Health Aide
Home health aides work directly with seniors in their homes to help them navigate everyday life. They help seniors manage tasks such as showering, monitoring their medication, and eating well. They can also arrange for workouts and hospital visits for the seniors they are taking care of.
Home health aides will often work with other healthcare professionals such as therapists to make life easier for seniors. Home health aides must have at least a high school diploma, as well as some mode of transportation. In many cases, their work is also supervised by a senior medical professional.
Nursing Assistant
A nursing assistant works independently to provide similar services to a home health aide, focusing primarily on medical services and personal care. Even though they work unsupervised, they must report to a registered or licensed nurse. Nurse assistants must be certified by the relevant nursing bodies to ensure they can handle tasks such as monitoring vitals, ensuring seniors take their medications and ensuring the safety of their patients. They will also work with doctors and other healthcare professionals to ensure seniors are getting the medical care they need.
Dieticians
These professionals are concerned with ensuring seniors are eating well. They also provide guidance on what foods to eat to avoid interactions with the medications their patients or clients are taking. Dieticians also create diet plans for all their clients.
With an aging population, there are numerous opportunities in geriatric care. You only have to choose a path that resonates with your interests.