Pursuing a career in the care industry

by Natasha Christou Digital Marketing Consultant

It goes without saying that there will always be a need for care staff to look after our senior citizens in a variety of ways. According to CNBC, three-quarters of Americans over the age of 65 are living with multiple health conditions, such as dementia and diabetes. Alongside this, one of the fastest-growing job openings between 2016 and 2026 , with another 750,000 roles needing filled, is expected to be personal-care aide.

But, there are so many job roles under the umbrella of geriatric care within the United States. Join Stairlifts Florida (providers of stair lift costs in Bonita Springs) as they explore a small handful of potential job titles you could pursue for great success in this ever-growing and always-needed industry.

Benefits

There are a number of benefits to entering the care industry, the current and future growth of the sector notwithstanding.

Careers in Government outlines several additional benefits waiting for people looking to get a job in the care industry:

· Fast-paced and changing. No two days are the same in this sector, and for many, that can only be a good thing. The changing days and different challenges you’ll meet will ensure a fulfilling and engaging workday.

· Multiple career paths. Whichever way you choose to enter this career, there are so many different roles you could aim for.

· Location isn’t an issue. No matter where you choose to live, there’ll always be a demand for care professionals.

· Genuinely helping others. There are few other professions that can claim to help people in a real way like the care industry does.

Careers

Let’s look at some of the careers available within the sector. We will explore job requirements, duties, average pay, and more.

Personal-care aide

Average salary: $23,130*

The role of a personal-care aide is to assist people with everyday tasks. From helping clients getting dressed, to transferring a client to a bed or stair lift, or simply providing companionship, there’s a wide array of tasks that a personal-care aide may find themselves taking ownership of. It is important to not that this role does not have any medical tasks attached to it — this is the difference between a personal-care aide and a home health aide.

Requirements: No particular qualifications are necessary, although a high school diploma is often preferred. Employers may provide training for their personal-care aides.

Geriatric staff nurse

Average salary: $57k–73k*

Geriatric staff nurses specialize in understanding the unique and complex needs of senior citizens, both in terms of physical and mental health. Duties of a geriatric staff nurse include medical assessments of a patient’s mental state, managing medication for a number of chronic health conditions, and informing the patient of any medication adjustments and personal safety. As a geriatric staff nurse, you may be working in a nursing home, hospital, or even within the patient’s own home.

Requirements: This career route requires a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and an NCLEX-RN license to become a registered nurse. Then, you’ll need relevant work experience at a local nursing home or similar — this is important in order to gain real experience in helping people with mobility or cognitive issues, as well as learning whether or not you can process the emotional side of helping people who may be terminally ill.

Geriatrician

Average salary: $160k–200k*

A geriatrician is a qualified medical health professional who specializes in the needs of older patients. This role involves not only the management of health conditions prevalent in senior citizens, but also the diagnosis and medication of these ailments.

Geriatricians may also need to make professional-based decisions that could have an emotional impact on their patient’s life, such as advising when a person should stop driving. There is also a need to communicate directly with the patient’s family regarding issues such as long-term care.

Requirements: According to Explore Health Careers, for this role, you will need to hold a four-year undergraduate degree, as well as completing medical school, and a three-year residency in internal or family medicine. The next step is to apply for a geriatric medicine fellowship program, to learn in more detail how aging changes the human body and overall health.

There are so many levels in which you can start a career in the care industry, from both a hands-on approach to a more academic route. With the sector’s need for workers only set to increase in the coming years across all of the United States, it is certainly a wise career move now.

*As of May 2019