Nationwide Events Steer Students Toward Booming Aging Industry

The graying of America's population is resulting in a shortage of people trained to meet the unique needs of these older adults. To close this gap, 60 colleges and universities across the country are gearing up for the sixth annual Careers in Aging Week – a joint venture between The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education taking place from April 8th – 14th, 2007.

The schools' events will provide important information about the wide range of opportunities in the field of aging, raise awareness about older populations and their needs, and inform students and the public of the many academic programs available to get one started on a career path. GSA also hosts a permanent job website, agework.org, that currently boasts nearly 100 offerings.

By 2020, there will be 53.2 million Americans older than age 65 – forming 15.8 percent of the population – and 6.5 million of those will be over 85, according to the Census Bureau. The array of industries that will be affected by this shift is quite diverse.

For example, as early as 1987, the National Institute on Aging predicted that 60,000 - 70,000 geriatric social workers would be required to meet the needs of older adults by 2020. To accommodate this demand, approximately 25 percent of all Master of Social Work (MSW) students would need to graduate per year with a focus on gerontology. However, in 2001, only three percent of the 150,000 members of the National Association of Social Workers identified gerontology as their primary area of practice.

Below is a list of the 60 institutions participating in Careers in Aging Week.

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), founded in 1945, is the oldest and largest national multidisciplinary scientific organization devoted to the advancement of gerontological research. Its membership includes some 5,000+ researchers, educators, practitioners, and other professionals in the field of aging. The Society's principal missions are to promote research and education in aging and to encourage the dissemination of research results to other scientists, decision makers, and practitioners.

Established in 1974, the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education is a membership organization of colleges and universities that offer education, training, and research programs in the field of aging. AGHE currently has more than 300 institutional members throughout the United States, Canada, and abroad.