Where do Gerontologists Work?Click on a circle below to read more info on a career of choice |
||
 Career Opportunities The demand for individuals trained to work with an aging population is expanding in business, management, marketing, recreation, travel, nutrition, and health care. The ARC Gerontology Program… The gerontology program at American River College blends classroom instruction and student interaction with older adults in a variety of non-classroom situations in order to provide you with the knowledge and experience required for employment. You may work toward an associate of arts degree or a certificate in gerontology. At the same time, you may qualify for certification by the Sate of California as Activity Coordinator, Nursing Assistant, Home Health Aide, Physical Therapy Aide or Social Service Designee. In addition ARC offers special Saturday classes for those seeking continuing education (RN LVN, CNA, RCFE.) Options Available in the major include:
American River College has been a co-sponsor of the Alzheimer's Workshop since 1983 through its Gerontology Program. Dr. Barbara Gillogly, is the Program Coordinator. Health FacilitiesCare Administrators Persons in this role administer nursing homes, retirement facilities, continuing care retirement communities, home health care programs, and adult day care facilities. Nurses. Nursing provides diverse opportunities to work for and with older adults. Registered Nurses with basic educational preparation at the associate degree, diploma, or baccalaureate level are often providers of direct care services to older persons who are ill. Care is provided by these nurse Generalists to individuals and families in their homes, hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient settings. Physicians Physicians who work exclusively with older persons are known as geriatricians. Becoming a geriatrician requires completion of medical school, followed by a residency in either family medicine or internal medicine, followed by a fellowship in geriatric medicine. Physicians who have done a residency in psychiatry may opt to focus on the mental health care of the elderly by doing a fellowship in geriatric psychiatry. Mental Health FacilitiesClinical Psychologist Psychologists study human behavior and mental processes to understated, explain, and change people’s behavior. They make cognitive, personality, and neuropsychological assessments to aid in diagnosis: conduct counseling, and educational sessions, and provide mental health services and therapies. Counselors Counselors may have undergraduate and graduate training in areas such as education, psychology, human development, social work, human resource management, or religion. They typically hold graduate degrees in counselor education and have completed several years of supervised practice. Most states require a license in order to practice. RehabilitationRecreation Therapists. Therapeutic recreation uses treatment, education, and recreational services to help people with illnesses or disabilities develop and use their time in ways that enhance their heath, independence, and well-being. Many of their patients are older people. Rehabilitation Therapists Physical (PT), Occupational (OT), and Speech Therapists (ST) provide services to persons of all ages who are physically, psychologically, or developmentally disabled. Their goal is to assist patients to achieve a maximum level of independent living. Many of these patients are older people who have had strokes, accidents, or chronic health conditions such as arthritis. The field of social work is closely associated with aging, and as many as one-third of all social workers devote the majority of their time to services for older people. They are employed in multipurpose senior centers, hospices, human service agencies, hospitals, and nursing homes. They do case and group work, community organization, advocacy, administration, discharge planning, and policy analysis. The lawyer who practices law and aging may handle a range of issues but has a specific clientele: older adults. The legal needs of older persons include age discrimination, durable power of attorney, elder abuse and neglect, estate planning and probate, trusts, financing long-term care, guardianship and conservatorship, pension law, health care decisions, independent living options, Medicare, and Medicaid. Attorneys work both in the public interest and in the private practice. Entrepreneurs Self-employment and other entrepreneurial actives are relatively common in the field of aging. Often referred to as consultants, these persons typically have extensive experience as well as education in gerontology. Geriatric Care Managers. This is a new category of professionals who assess an older person’s living environment, help families with planning, and act as a liaison with service providers. The care (or case) manager is often a health professional hired when caregivers live a long distance from the older person who needs assistance. Geriatric care managers can work for a hospital or health maintenance organization, or be in private practice. Managers Organizations, agencies, institutions, and programs are overseen by managers. They carry out the day-to-day functions of supervising staff, planning, reporting, budgeting, and problem-solving in numerous types of human service agencies. Because no standard educational prepatration is required, managerial roles are open to persons with interest and some experience. Marketing Specialists This recently developed employment area involves the advertising and sale of products and services for the elderly. Marketing personnel identify needs of the older population and help banks, continuing care retirement communities, hotels, nursing homes and hospitals, retailers, securities dealers, social service agencies, travel companies, and many others become more effective in selling products and services to older people. Program Planners Human services agencies and corporations employ persons to assess needs or desires of specific population groups and to design new programs, services, or products for their use. Planners are often responsible for writing proposals that request funding or government approvals for a new project. Trainers Because many persons gain employment in the field of aging without formal Gerontological education, may organizations find it necessary to have in-house training programs for staff who need additional information and skills to do their jobs effectively. Thus, gerontology workshops are regularly offered by professionals with experience and insight into working with the aging. Academicians from many disciplines and professions are employed in community colleges, four-year colleges, or universities. Most are based within traditional departments such as biology, psychology, sociology, economics, law, political science, medicine, nursing, public health, or social work. Others are based in gerontology departments, institutes, or centers on aging. |
Business 
For more information on the program call
(916) 484-8512 