From real estate to health, fashion to HR, just about every career sector is looking for people skilled in working with older adults.
As 11,200 Americans turn 65 every day, the need for professionals who serve older adults is growing rapidly. Certified Senior Advisors® have a skillset that will only become more coveted, as baby boomers continue to reach retirement age through 2027, and far beyond. This month of March, the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) promotes Careers in Aging Month to educate the public about the diversity of careers in this wide field.
Some of the aging-related careers experiencing the biggest growth right now include personal care aids, speech therapists, social workers, and nurses. Below are some of the more surprising careers in aging that are seeking professionals skilled in working with older adults.
Human Resources
It’s only in the past several years that, for the first time in history, five generations are working together: Silent, Boomer, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. With that age diversity come unique human resources challenges and opportunities for professionals who understand how to work across generational differences. People are working later into life, and older workers are often highly skilled. HR departments are looking for staff who know how to hire these older workers, retain them, and prevent age discrimination in the workplace. Creating a positive workplace culture in 2025 involves educating staff on each other’s generational perspectives. Not an easy task, but potentially a rewarding one for an HR professional qualified to lead these conversations.Pet Care
The emotional support our pets give us only becomes more important as we age. Pets are an invaluable part of many older adults’ lives, and in the coming years, the need for pet care professionals will likely grow to support people of all abilities in keeping their pets with them. Seniors and continuing care communities will look for in-home pet care services including feeding, walking, and grooming. Animal-assisted therapy may also be a growing need.Fashion Design
In general, clothing isn’t designed with seniors in mind. Some pioneering companies are changing that. Take for example June Adaptive, which caters to seniors by making clothing that allows for easy movement to accommodate joint pain. Their clothing uses fasteners that are easy to manipulate for people with arthritis and low vision. They also pay attention to the feel of fabrics on older skin, and of course, they design well-fitting and fashionable clothes. The demand for this kind of adaptive and appealing clothing will only increase, creating career opportunities in design and sales.Marketing
You might be sensing a trend: every sector of the economy will be touched as baby boomers start to make up a larger and larger proportion of the U.S. population. That means companies who sell products and services in any industry will be looking for marketing experts who know how to appeal to seniors’ sensibilities. That’s especially true because baby boomers, as a demographic, have the most disposable income and leisure time. At the same time, companies will be looking to market to the specific needs of care partners, another growing demographic. Not only will continuing care communities and hospitals be looking for marketers who understand the wants and needs of older adults and their families, but so will airlines, food and beverage producers, and automakers, not to mention the booming AgeTech industry.Spirituality and Religion
As more people approach old age, more individuals and families approach the experience of eventually losing a loved one. The funeral industry, including new green burial services, will experience growth, and so will professions that support people and families in grief. One example of a profession growing in response to this need is end-of-life doulas, or death doulas. Like a birth doula, a death doula is well-versed in the emotional and spiritual aspects of a key life experience in order to provide the kind of support that doctors, nurses, and even social workers do not typically provide. More and more people may start to seek out help from spiritual leadership professions, like pastors and rabbis, life coaches, and facilitators of spiritual experiences. Careers in Aging Month offers a reminder that professionals who are already working in the longevity industry don’t have to look far for new and exciting career paths. Their knowledge is highly transferable to other kinds of jobs: especially their knowledge of the particular needs, desires, and challenges that tend to meet us as we grow older. And young people are taking note of the many opportunities and rewards that come with looking at their future career path through the lens of aging.Sources:
https://www.protectedincome.org/peak65/
https://exploringcareersinaging.com/
https://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/careers
Blog posting provided by Society of Certified Senior Advisors
