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Demand for
Gerontological Counselors Grows as Society Ages
The baby
boom generation is fast approaching retirement age. Some of those who
will be retiring are going to require counseling. Gerontological
counselors have a bright future.
Gerontology is the study of aging and old age. A
gerontological
counselor provides services to elderly people who face changing
lifestyles due to health problems. They help families cope with these
changes.
Gerontological counseling offers a fulfilling career in an industry
just now taking off. In the next five years, the field of counseling as
a whole will continue to grow at a steady pace.
The baby boom generation is getting older -- that means a lot of people
are going to retire in the next few years. Plus, since a large number
of counselors themselves are closing in on retirement, there is plenty
of opportunity in the field of gerontology.
At present, this profession is in its infancy. Very few people are
actually practicing. There are far too few gerontological counselors to
face the coming tidal wave of patients. A person who's willing to work
could make a whole pile of cash.
You should not be going into this profession if your sole ambition is
to get rich. But that's no reason to look away from a field which can
be very rewarding both personally and monetarily.
Eileen Reilly is a gerontological counselor. "Yes, I am becoming busier
because of the demographics and hope to continue to be busier as time
passes by," she says.
However, Reilly says it's not all easy. "The problem in gerontology is
that it a relatively new discipline or specialty. It is going to take
some time to educate the public about us, and to encourage the public
that they must pay fees for service."
Right now Reilly has more than one job, since the field is pretty new.
"I work as an independent. But working independently does not pay my
bills, and therefore I am working half-time within the hospital system."
This will more than likely change as more and more people retire,
giving Reilly a larger base of people to work with.
A number of universities have begun to position themselves to help ease
the strain that will be placed on professionals in this field. Schools
such as the University of Michigan, Columbia University and the
University of California offer programs in gerontology.
Jane Myers is a professor in the gerontology department of the
University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She says that since
counseling is a graduate-level position, the courses that she would
recommend include human development over the lifespan, counseling older
people, and any entry-level gerontology courses that you can find.
Plus, volunteering at local old age homes could help you when thinking
about taking this career path.
Myers feels, however, that the position of gerontology counselor is
really not for everyone.
"Patronizing, condescending 'I want to help those old people' attitudes
are a problem," she says.
"I think the job of counselor is very rewarding, but counseling is not
for everyone and GC [gerontology counseling] is definitely not for
everyone. A desire to be of service, a genuine caring for older
persons, and an awareness of the continuity of the lifespan is
important.
"Counselors work to optimize human potential and wellness. A genuine
belief that adults can grow and change over the lifespan is important
for any GC."
Is the country prepared for the retirement tidal wave that is
approaching?
"I definitely do not think that universities or community agencies are
prepared for the aging of the boomers. We need to restructure services
for a healthy and vibrant population that will not tolerate being told
they are bad, sad, and worthless because they are old," she says.
A career in a virtually untouched medical field is awaiting you, if you
are the right kind of person. About 80 million people are going to
retire in the coming years, and the average age of North Americans will
increase. That means a lot of people will need counseling.
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Net
Sites
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Gerontological
Society of America
Lots of links
http://www.geron.org
National Academy on
an Aging Society
Explore the opportunities
http://www.agingsociety.org/agingsociety/
Health and Age
The latest research on aging
http://www.healthandage.com/
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