week8-2
The field of gerontology is a growing one. Find two different gerontological careers and describe the requirements for the job. Discuss the pros and cons of gerontology and whether or not you might be interested in pursuing this as a career.
Good morning class and Professor,
Gerontology is the study of aging, as well as the mental social and societal, implications of aging. Two careers could be social workers as well as home health and personal care aides. In order to work in social work you need a bachelor’s degree in social work from a graduate program that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. There is also documentation that is no less than three years which is the equivelant of 4,500 hours or experience working with older adults under social work supervision. To be a home health aide or personal care aide, it is typical that you need a high school diploma or equivilalent; however, some do not require it. Now if you are working in certified home health or even hospice, you must compete training as well as pass a standardized test.
Currently my major is Sociology with an emphasis on social work, but I am not sure if I am going to pursue working with older people or children and their families. It is still too early. I do however know I do not want to work in the home health field. I do not think I can handle working with sick people as I do not handle that too well.
Thank you and good luck class in your future endeavors!
Maria
Gerontology: A field of study focused on the health and well- being of older persons. (T. R. Howe., 2018). One career in this field would be a social worker in a hospital that is geared towards the elderly. In this position a person might be able to help find suitable living accommodations for an elderly person, help them find medical or assisted living, and even help them to apply for financial benefits. I think a big pro for this type of position is the satisfaction a person can feel when helping others, a con may be that they have to deal with and handle the difficult struggles these people face on a day-to-day basis. The emotional impact on the social worker could be very difficult to handle. It might also be quite difficult for all involved if it is discovered in the process that the elderly person has been suffering abuse, either at home or at a care facility which was trusted to take care of them. Another possible position could be a social worker at a nursing home, this would be similar to a hospital, but dealing with clients that are already in the care of the facility, this would encompass: “Social workers in nursing homes advocate for their clients’ general wellbeing. They protect elderly patients against abuse and support clients and their families through medical, financial, and emotional decisions.” (Social Work Licensure.org). Again, the cons and pros would be similar in each instance. I think another con for the social work field is the annual salary, while $35,000 to $60,000 is not necessarily a bad wage, I feel that people in social work are extremely dedicated to their work and deserve to be compensated for what they do. Thank you.
Julie