Why should I consider a career in gerontological social work?
Working with older adults can be a rewarding experience. Here are some more reasons to consider a career in gerontological social work! • By 2020, one in six Americans will be aged 65 or over, with the most dramatic growth among adults age 85 and older, elders of color and women. • Age is the one social position that we all hold, regardless of our gender, race/ethnicity, class, religion, sexual orientation, or physical/mental ability. Ageism is the one “ism” that we all encounter. Issues of aging and older adults are linked with all the fields of practice—substance use, mental health, health care, child welfare (e.g., grandparents are primary caregivers to grandchildren), interpersonal violence, or corrections (e.g., the graying of the inmate population). Aging across the life course is inextricably intertwined with all that social workers do! • 60,000 to 70,000 geriatric social workers will be needed by 2020, yet less than 10% of that projected number is now available. • The demand fo
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