Careers in AgingCareers in AgingNeil CharnessNeil Charness

Florida State UniversityFlorida State University20142014

Material from Material from http://www.careersinaging.com/careersinaging/index.html

http://www.aghe.org/clientimages/40634/careersinaging_brochure.pdf

What is Gerontology? What is Gerontology? Geriatrics?Geriatrics?

AgingAging is a is a multidisciplinarymultidisciplinary field. This means that the field. This means that the study of aging combines or integrates information from study of aging combines or integrates information from several separate areas of study. Biology, sociology, and several separate areas of study. Biology, sociology, and psychology are the "core" or basic areas, along with psychology are the "core" or basic areas, along with content from many other areas of study such as public content from many other areas of study such as public policy, humanities, and economics. policy, humanities, and economics.

GerontologyGerontology is the study of the aging processes and is the study of the aging processes and individuals as they grow from middle age through later individuals as they grow from middle age through later life. It includes:life. It includes:– the study of physical, mental, and social changes in older the study of physical, mental, and social changes in older

people as they age people as they age – the investigation of the changes in society resulting from our the investigation of the changes in society resulting from our

aging population aging population – the application of this knowledge to policies and programs. As a the application of this knowledge to policies and programs. As a

result of the multidisciplinary focus of gerontology, professionals result of the multidisciplinary focus of gerontology, professionals from diverse fields call themselves from diverse fields call themselves "gerontologists""gerontologists"

Gerontology/GeriatricsGerontology/Geriatrics

GeriatricsGeriatrics focuses focuses on:on:– the study of health the study of health

and disease in later and disease in later life life

– the comprehensive the comprehensive health care of older health care of older persons and the persons and the well-being of their well-being of their informal caregiver informal caregiver

Is Aging the Field for Is Aging the Field for You?You?

Are interested in improving Are interested in improving the lives of older people?the lives of older people?

Are you interested in knowing Are you interested in knowing more about your own aging more about your own aging and the changes to expect in and the changes to expect in your family members as they your family members as they grow older? grow older? – Talk with professionals and Talk with professionals and

students in the field. Discuss students in the field. Discuss your future plans with your your future plans with your academic advisor. academic advisor.

Our success in responding to Our success in responding to the opportunities and the opportunities and challenges presented by an challenges presented by an aging population will depend aging population will depend on the dedication of those on the dedication of those who choose to work in the who choose to work in the field of aging. field of aging.

We hope that you will join usWe hope that you will join us!!

Where Do Professionals Where Do Professionals in Aging Work?in Aging Work?

Community, human service, Community, human service, and religious organizations and religious organizations

Health care and long-term Health care and long-term care institutions care institutions

Federal, state, and local Federal, state, and local government agencies, government agencies, including the aging network including the aging network (service delivery to older (service delivery to older persons established by a persons established by a federal law entitled the federal law entitled the Older Americans Act) )

Retirement communities Retirement communities Academic, educational, and Academic, educational, and

research settings research settings Professional organizationsProfessional organizations Business and industryBusiness and industry

Professionals Working Professionals Working DirectlyDirectly

Developing programs such as health promotion, Developing programs such as health promotion, senior theater groups, or intergenerational senior theater groups, or intergenerational activities for older persons in senior centers, activities for older persons in senior centers, community agencies, or retirement communities community agencies, or retirement communities

Providing direct care to frail, ill, or impaired older Providing direct care to frail, ill, or impaired older persons in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, or persons in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, or through adult day care or home care programs through adult day care or home care programs

Counseling older persons and their families about Counseling older persons and their families about issues of caregiving, employment, death and issues of caregiving, employment, death and dying, or mental health dying, or mental health

Advising older clients about estate planning and Advising older clients about estate planning and investments, financing long-term care, or housing investments, financing long-term care, or housing options. options.

Professionals Working Professionals Working IndirectlyIndirectly

Conducting research on the aging processes and diseases Conducting research on the aging processes and diseases associated with aging such as Alzheimer's disease or associated with aging such as Alzheimer's disease or osteoporosis osteoporosis

Analyzing issues related to older persons such as Analyzing issues related to older persons such as retirement opportunities, income maintenance, the health retirement opportunities, income maintenance, the health care system, and housing alternatives care system, and housing alternatives

Planning, administering, and evaluating community-based Planning, administering, and evaluating community-based services and service delivery systems services and service delivery systems

Teaching courses on aging to college and university Teaching courses on aging to college and university students, health care professionals, and older adults students, health care professionals, and older adults

Advocating with or on behalf of older persons before Advocating with or on behalf of older persons before legislative bodies or in institutional settings legislative bodies or in institutional settings

Designing products to meet the special interests and Designing products to meet the special interests and needs of older persons needs of older persons

Advising business, industry, and labor regarding older Advising business, industry, and labor regarding older workers and consumers. workers and consumers.

How Do You Become a How Do You Become a Professional in Aging?Professional in Aging?

Some students choose aging as a specialty area Some students choose aging as a specialty area within one of the traditional disciplines or professions within one of the traditional disciplines or professions – anthropology, architecture, biology, political science, anthropology, architecture, biology, political science,

psychology, sociology, medicine, nursing, social work, psychology, sociology, medicine, nursing, social work, health-related professions). health-related professions).

Others opt for a degree or major in gerontology. Others opt for a degree or major in gerontology. – For those seeking formal training in aging, there are over For those seeking formal training in aging, there are over

500 colleges and universities that offer more than 1,000 500 colleges and universities that offer more than 1,000 credit programs in aging. credit programs in aging.

– Over 1,000 additional schools offer course work and adult or Over 1,000 additional schools offer course work and adult or continuing education programs that provide information on continuing education programs that provide information on aging to older persons and others in the community for aging to older persons and others in the community for personal use and/or upgrading specific skills. Programs are personal use and/or upgrading specific skills. Programs are available to meet different individual interests and available to meet different individual interests and objectives.objectives.

Examples of FSU Examples of FSU Psychological Research on Psychological Research on

AgingAging CREATE – The Center for Research and CREATE – The Center for Research and

Education on Aging and Technology Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement: Enhancement: www.create-center.org

FDOT – Human factors work on sign and signal FDOT – Human factors work on sign and signal perception for older drivers and pedestrians: perception for older drivers and pedestrians: http://www.psy.fsu.edu/~charness/fdot/index.html

AFRAME– Remote monitoring of vital signs in AFRAME– Remote monitoring of vital signs in older person’s homes (telehealth) older person’s homes (telehealth) https://campus.fsu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_6369618_1%26url%3D

How Do You Select a How Do You Select a Program in Aging?Program in Aging?

FFor a list of the schools that offer programs in or a list of the schools that offer programs in aging, consult the Association for Gerontology in aging, consult the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education - AGHE Higher Education - AGHE

For a modest charge, have a computerized For a modest charge, have a computerized search done for you by AGHE using the National search done for you by AGHE using the National Database on Gerontology in Higher Education. Database on Gerontology in Higher Education. Both resources describe programs and list whom Both resources describe programs and list whom to contact for more information. Forms can be to contact for more information. Forms can be requested from the AGHE web site: requested from the AGHE web site: http://www.aghe.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=40634&PID=677909

PsychologyPsychology In Psychology, check out the American Psychological In Psychology, check out the American Psychological

Association’s Division 20 (Adult Development and Aging) Association’s Division 20 (Adult Development and Aging) web site:web site:– http://www.apadivisions.org/division-20/ – Grad studies programs are given at Grad studies programs are given at http://

www.apadivisions.org/division-20/publications/graduate-studies/indwww.apadivisions.org/division-20/publications/graduate-studies/index.aspx ex.aspx

– Also see careers in geropsychology Also see careers in geropsychology http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/geropsychology.pdf http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/geropsychology.pdf

There is no accreditation of educational programs in the There is no accreditation of educational programs in the field of aging. Many programs, however, follow the field of aging. Many programs, however, follow the "standards and guidelines" developed by AGHE"standards and guidelines" developed by AGHE

AGHE is beginning to structure an accreditation procedure with GSA. AGHE is beginning to structure an accreditation procedure with GSA. After you have selected several schools that interest you, After you have selected several schools that interest you,

contact the faculty members who direct these educational contact the faculty members who direct these educational programs in aging. programs in aging. – Ask them what their graduates are doing. Ask them what their graduates are doing. – See if they have found jobs in settings that interest youSee if they have found jobs in settings that interest you

How Can You Find More How Can You Find More About the Field of Aging?About the Field of Aging?

Take an introductory gerontology or an Adult Take an introductory gerontology or an Adult Development and Aging course.Development and Aging course.

Talk to people who are working in the field of agingTalk to people who are working in the field of aging– Ask them why they chose this field, what they do, and how they Ask them why they chose this field, what they do, and how they

like their work. like their work. Volunteer in a senior center, a nursing home, or on a Volunteer in a senior center, a nursing home, or on a

faculty member's research project in aging. faculty member's research project in aging. Read more about careers in aging through publications in Read more about careers in aging through publications in

the field of aging such as the field of aging such as The GerontologistThe Gerontologist, published by , published by the Gerontological Society of America; the Gerontological Society of America; GenerationsGenerations, , published by the American Society on Aging; and published by the American Society on Aging; and NetworksNetworks, published by the National Council on the Aging , published by the National Council on the Aging (see addresses below).(see addresses below).

Find out what events you can attend on campus. Campus Find out what events you can attend on campus. Campus gerontology programs often sponsor lectures, workshops, gerontology programs often sponsor lectures, workshops, other educational programs, and opportunities to other educational programs, and opportunities to volunteer with older persons. volunteer with older persons.

Need some Practical Need some Practical Experience as a DIS?Experience as a DIS?

DIS in labs working on DIS in labs working on projects related to projects related to technology usetechnology use– age and technology useage and technology use– age and human factorsage and human factors– age and telehealth age and telehealth

Contact Jaci Bartley: Contact Jaci Bartley: 644-8839644-8839

Contact Heather Lupton Contact Heather Lupton or Rebekah Landbeck: or Rebekah Landbeck: 644-9869644-9869

Contact Joshua Russell: Contact Joshua Russell: 645-8724645-8724

Certificate Program Certificate Program Resources at FSUResources at FSU

Gerontology Gerontology Certificate in the Certificate in the College of Social College of Social WorkWork– http://csw.fsu.edu/http://csw.fsu.edu/

academics/certificate-academics/certificate-programs/certificate-programs/certificate-in-gerontology-aging-in-gerontology-aging-studies/ studies/

Contact Jean MunnContact Jean Munn– E-mail: E-mail:

jmunn@fsu.edujmunn@fsu.edu