Job working with the elderly??????

Question

I currently volunteer at a retirement/old peoples home. I love volunteering; everytime I roll a wheelchair they thank me about a million times and they say "God bless you." They are so respectful. I just love seeing their cute wrinkly faces looking at my face with admiration. Does anyone know any prestigious jobs where people work with the elderly? I'm not talking about CNA's at the old peoples home, but things like a gerontologist or such.

I want to go to a good college like UNC Chapel or JOhns Hopkins, and go into pre-med. From there, where should I go if I want to help people, especially the elderly?

Answer 1

It looks like volunteering does you, as well as the people you help, a world of good. That is great!

Prestigious jobs, like gerontology, may not have allow for the close relationships that you can build by spending (relatively) unlimited time as a volunteer.  Many fields allow for a specialty or focus on the elderly.  How about being a physician?  Might you want to be a dentist?   Would you consider psychiatry and counseling?   How about physical therapy, music therapy, or something along those lines?  Whatever field you go into, you can find an outlet for your interest in the elderly.

Even if a prestigious job does not give you the satisfaction you get from your volunteering, I hope that you make the time to continue volunteering.  

Answer 2

Whatever you decide to do, choose a traditional career, then specialize after that, in this case gerontology.  There are some programs that call themselves "gerontology" but you are not a psychologist, or social worker, medical doctor, nurse....a confused, undefined topic, multi-disciplinary, but not enough training in anyone to be anything.  Continue volunteering.  As you go on in school you will realize what topics you excel in.  Math?  Biology?  If you want a medical career, do the pre-med, then medical school...after 4 years you will do an internship, then another 4 years residency.  You will have plenty of time to decide.  Both Chapel Hill and Johns Hopkins are excellent, as many others (U. of Michigan excels in gerontology training)  Good luck to you!  Pick up some books on the psychology of aging (you can find some on amazon...Robert Kastenbaum, for e.g. ....)  (college psych prof/certified gerontologist)