5 Job Choices with a Bachelor’s in Gerontology
- Social Worker
- Recreational Activity Leader
- Community Service Coordinator
- Occupational Therapist
- Caregiver or Hospice Coordinator
A person who is earning a degree in the study of elderly people and aging may want to know about these five career options with a Bachelor’s in Gerontology. People who work in gerontology often have a related degree in a field such as sociology, social work, public health or psychology. Each of these career options for a Bachelor’s in Gerontology could offer personal and professional satisfaction.
1. Social Worker
A person with a degree in gerontology could gain certification and licensure to practice as a social worker. In most cases, becoming a social worker requires a master’s degree, a state licensing exam and a clinical internship under the supervision of a licensed social worker. However, people who will not work directly with clients may not need to have the licensing or master’s degree. Social workers help with the overall well-being and social functioning of individuals, families and groups of people in a society.
2. Recreational Activity Leader
A person who earns a Bachelor’s in Gerontology could also gain employment as a recreational activity leader. Nursing homes and assisted living centers offer leisure activities for the elderly who live in their facilities. Community centers also offer recreational classes for the elderly. A recreational activity leader might coordinate a painting class, chair exercise or yoga class for the elderly. They might also coordinate special events and activities, such as a partnership for reading between preschoolers and the elderly.
3. Community Service Coordinator
Community service coordinator is another career option for a person with a degree in gerontology. This type of work involves identifying resources in the community that could help the elderly with services and material needs. For example, a community service coordinator might work with a person who has no family or whose family lives far away and set them up with housekeeping and home maintenance help, transportation to and from medical appointments and physical assistance for grocery shopping and other errands.
4. Occupational Therapist
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an occupational therapist helps people who are disabled, ill or injured with daily activities of living. For example, an occupational therapist might work with an elderly person who has severe arthritis in order to help them be more independent in their homes. A person with a Bachelor’s in Gerontology would need additional education and training in occupational therapy to do this.
Related Resource: 15 Best Affordable Gerontology Degree Programs
5. Caregiver or Hospice Coordinator
People who have earned a degree in gerontology could also become a care coordinator or caregiver for elderly people. For example, a person could become a hospice coordinator. Hospice services allow a terminally ill person to pass in comfort in their own home or another familiar place. The hospice coordinator is often the person who coordinates the in-home nursing services, delivery of medical supplies, household help and transportation services for the elderly patient. Hospice services are often part of a hospital system or nonprofit agency.
A person who earns a Bachelor’s in Gerontology may be eligible for any of these jobs. A person may also wish to advance their education and earn a master’s degree in a specialty such as public health, social science research, psychology or nursing in order to provide a specific type of service to the elderly. Each of these five career options with a Bachelor’s in Gerontology allows a person to advance scientific knowledge of the aging process.