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To the OP -
I am in my 2nd year of a masters in Gerontology/Aging studies. There is a another thread on this forum where someone else was asking about careers and programs in the field of aging. While you can take classes at a community college in this field you will have to either get an undergraduate (BA/BS) or graduate degree to get some of the jobs out there. Social work is another program that can lead to jobs in this field.
Figure out what you want to do job wise and then talk to some people at the school to find out how to get there. But be careful that you are not promised something and go through a for profit school that will only give you the credentials to do CNA type work.
That link discusses various therapies in relation to aging adults. SLP would definitely be related to a teacher nature, I think. OT as well, obviously.
I, too, am considering pursuing a career working with the elderly and I am considering becoming a social worker to fulfill that goal.
That's actually Occupational Therapy - go figure...
I am an OT, and both speech and OT (and PT) work with stroke patients.
You don't say what level of education you want to get, but OT and Speech both require a Masters, and PT requires a Doctorate now. You can however be either an OT or PT assistant in 2 years and start out making $30 an hour. Social work is also an option.
As far as advocacy, I would think a background in nursing and/or social work is the norm. I don't think there are as many positions with decreased state budgets, we actually have a volunteer for the Ombudsmans office who comes into our building to ensure residents are being cared for. The state surveyors mainly have nursing backgrounds. You can also become an Activities director. If you really like biology, you can go back and become a dietician (that will require a lot of chemistry too, though)
You can also get a certificate in Nursing Home Administration and run your own, the right way!
Not all seniors will be infirm or need medical treatment specifically. There are many more possibilities.
Yes. There is more to aging field work than just medical and dealing with frail elderly.
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not talking about age group, but ok...
