Thanks to better medical care, living conditions, and healthier lifestyles, more and more of us are living longer than ever. While this is something to be celebrated in many ways, getting older brings inevitable health complications and challenges, which can significantly affect our quality of life if we do not get the proper support.
This is why there is a growing demand for compassionate and professional people to enter a career looking after the elderly in our communities. Here are six possible ideas if you are considering pursuing a career enabling you to work with the elderly but are unsure which path to take.
Working in a Residential Care Facility
A Residential Care Facility for the Elderly is otherwise known as an RCFE. It is a licensed facility (in the state of California) that provides non-medical care for older people, which could include meeting the residents’ physical, social and mental needs. You do not necessarily need medical training to work in an RCFE, but qualifications and certifications are required for specific roles. For example, one of the most varied and demanding roles in an RCFE is that of the administrator, who is responsible for coordinating the care plans, facility schedules, staff training, and financial management. Find out more about administering an RCFE.
Use your time and experience working in a residential facility to learn the ropes. Then, if you are finding the business side interesting and would enjoy a further challenge, you could even look to learn how to start a home based senior care business and branch out on your own!
Fitness Instructor
Being a fitness instructor for the elderly can be a gratifying career. You enable older people to become healthier, more active, and generally more youthful through nutrition and physical exercise. While fitness instructors can train to work with any age group, some focus their training on the elderly, who face different challenges regarding improving health and mobility. Fitness instructors can be self-employed or employed by a facility and may lead group and one-to-one sessions.
Home Health Aide
A home health aide enables older people to maintain their independence by caring for their health and well-being in their homes. They may administer medication and physiotherapy and take care of household chores such as cleaning, cooking, driving, and helping with bathing while monitoring and recording their physical and mental health.
Physical Therapist
A physical therapist diagnoses and provides treatment for people with limited mobility, including older people with health issues such as osteoporosis or arthritis. A physical therapist designs customized exercise plans to help people improve and maintain their physical fitness. These treatment plans may be delivered at a facility or in the patient’s home.
Audiologist
An audiologist is a specialist who can diagnose and treat people with issues with their ears, including hearing and balance problems. While audiologists can work with people of any age, there is an increasing demand for audiologists to work with the aging population, e.g., helping with hearing loss prevention and hearing implants and aides.
Nursing
Nursing is a great career choice for people looking to work with the elderly as it offers a lot of choice and scope for development. Registered nurses usually require at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing, but those who achieve a master’s degree often progress to higher levels of responsibility and increase their earning potential. Registered nurses specializing in senior care may care for patients with various illnesses and conditions, including dementia and Alzheimer’s.
