There’s a certain career that seems to be growing and my guess is it’s something many of you may not even consider, let alone have thought of. It involves working in the aging field.

See, most of us think that when working with the elderly, you have to have medical experience, and that is not the case. True, people still need actual health care professionals, but the huge amount of baby boomers that there are in the U.S. aren’t getting any younger.

Many can plan or teach wellness classes or they can work in consulting for companies about how to hire or keep older workers. It is also important for us to remember there are two different types of fields when dealing with older people. There’s geriatrics, which is described as “the comprehensive health of older adults.” These are your usual doctors, dentists and nurses who study specifically how to deal with the elderly.

On the other hand, there’s gerontology---or the study of the aging process. According to Steamboat Pilot & Today, gerontology includes observing the physical, mental and social changes in people as they age.

The Pilot reported that, if you’re interested in getting in to the field, a gerontology professor said that gerontology grads have an edge over other students who apply for administration jobs in long-term living facilities.

Also, if you’re particularly motivated, licenses and additional certificates can possibly qualify you to work as a physical or occupational therapist or even a nursing home director.

Our Take:

As someone who is much, much better with children than older people, I admire those who choose to work with the elderly. I think that this is an often overlooked field with a lot more long-term benefits than you may realize. For instance, there are so many elderly men and women out there who give the best advice and have the best wisdom. I can’t think of any people better to ask about life’s choices and what to do. Also, it always helps to get into a field that’s growing---a rarity in today’s economic hardships.