101+ Careers in Gerontology

by C. Joanne Grabinski

Describes a wealth of diverse career opportunities in gerontology and how to prepare for them

How do you know if a career in gerontology is right for you? What opportunities exist in the field? Completely updated to reflect significant changes to policy and management of resources, the second edition of 101 Careers in Gerontology provides a wealth of helpful and timely guidance in this rapidly growing field. Written for all levels of job seekers ranging from community college students to credential-seeking professionals, the book outlines a multitude of opportunities that dovetail with careers ranging from sociologist and home care agency administrator to architect and documentary filmmaker. Interviews with practitioners provide insight into job particulars and the experience of starting out with a degree versus on-the-job learning.

The book describes five emerging gerontology-related fields, updates already existing job profiles including salary scales, and includes many new careers and their education requirements. New interviews are replete with advice and job search tips. Surprising additions to the list of career profiles include financial planner for elders, custom clothier, health coach, social or cultural historian, travel/tourism specialist, senior theater director, and many others. This second edition encompasses career changes and opportunities resulting from the newly created Administration for Community Living, and those influenced by policy changes in Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Also new to the second edition are lists of gerontology professional organizations that can be helpful career search resources and links to professional organizations and other websites specific to each career profile.

Changes to the Second Edition Include:

• Many new careers and their education requirements

• Updated job profiles including salary scales

• A description of three types of gerontology career paths and how to prepare for them

• Coverage of such emerging fields as entrepreneurial gerontology, global aging, journalism and aging, and urban gerontology

• Career changes resulting from policy changes in relevant government agencies

• Lists of professional organizations and websites specific to each career profile

• 13 new interviews and 12 interviews updated from first edition

• Information about national, international, and local gerontology organizations including student and new professional member sections

• Updated and expanded glossary of acronyms

301 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Am Y]

What I liked about this title was that they included many comprehensive but concise interviews by people actually working in the professions they introduced. E.g. music therapist, geriartrician, entrepreneurial gerontologist, etc. The interviews were very insightful as the interviewees provided info such as what their job involved, what educational qualifications were needed, how they kept up with industry news, what characteristics you needed to have to succeed at the job, and a lot more. The interviews were probably the best part of the book.

What I did not appreciate, though, was that many of the jobs mentioned weren't really specific to gerontology per se. E.g. Fundraiser, career counsellor, grant writer, journalist, documentary filmmaker, mediator, etc... I mean, journalist, filmmaker... seriously?! If you're going to include jobs like that, then any job could be related to gerontology - you just need to make it exclusively about the elderly.