Rethinking Aging Stereotypes: "But I Don't Want to Work With Older Adults!"

In reality, most social workers will work with older adults at some point in their career. Here are some facts you may not have considered when planning your career—and some reasons to consider gerontological social work as a career option! Click here to download this page as a Word document.

"I want to work with children and families."

Older adults are members of families; when you work with children and younger families, you will often encounter older family members. In fact, you will find that older family members typically assist younger ones as long as possible.

You are increasingly likely to work with the rapidly growing number of three, four and five generation families. Think about your own family and how many generations compose it.

Intergenerational programming, especially providing opportunities for children and elders to interact, is a rapidly growing practice area.

"My primary interest is in working with women."

Aging is a women’s issue. The majority of older adults are women.

Issues that women face in young and middle adulthood, such as pay and pension inequities, continue to affect quality of life in old age. Younger and older women are inextricably connected. Social workers are needed to advocate for gender equity across the life course.

"I want to work with poor people and all older adults are well off. They don’t need my help."

While the poverty rate among older adults has declined due to the success of Social Security, it skyrockets among older persons of color, especially African American women, those living alone, those in rural areas, and those over age 85. Social workers are often the navigators and care managers mobilizing resources for low-income elders.

"I don’t want to work with people who are too old to change."

Resistance to change does not necessarily increase with age; it is more likely to be a lifelong characteristic. Older adults who are perceived as rigid were probably rigid as younger adults. People at any age are capable of changing.

Older people have more skill at dealing with change than any other age group, considering the numerous changes that they have experienced across the life course.

"I want to do something more creative than working with people who are just waiting to die."

Social workers can play leadership roles in developing new programs with older adults that build upon and foster their creativity and talents. Freed from the demands of employment and childrearing, older adults have the time and freedom to tap into their creativity.

"I don’t want to work with people who are not interested in learning."

There are no age-associated changes that prevent elders from learning. Growing numbers of older adults can be found in college classrooms or lifelong learning programs, such as Elderhostel. Lifelong learning programs are an emerging practice arena for social workers.

"I don’t want to work with only sick people and those who are going to die."

Disability rates among older adults are actually declining, although most adults age 85 and older have some type of functional limitation. But overall, people are living longer and healthier lives, captured by terms such as vital, active and healthy aging. Social workers are practicing in wellness and health promotion programs as well as central to multidisciplinary teams addressing the psychosocial needs of elders who are sick, disabled or dying.

"Isn’t it depressing to work with older people?"

Many gerontological social workers experience tremendous satisfaction from working with elders and learning from their wisdom and life experiences. And it can be, at times, difficult to work with any age group.

"I want to be a therapist and old people never go to therapy."

A wide range of therapeutic techniques – reminiscence, life review, short-term cognitive-behavioral and remotivation therapies – have been found to be effective with older adults.

A major barrier to older adults using mental health services is the lack of therapists with geriatric skills, not elders’ motivation. The need for social workers with expertise in geriatric mental health is critical.

"I want to work with populations who have the potential to contribute to society."

Older adults contribute to others in numerous ways – as family members, volunteers, keepers of culture, and story tellers. No matter what age or extent of functional ability, most older adults want to keep contributing. To illustrate, the number of applicants to the Peace Corps for Seniors is growing rapidly, and there is a whole new area of gerontological practice related to civic engagement.

"I don’t want to work in a nursing home."

There is a rich and diverse range of community-based settings where you can work with older adults and their families.

Social workers play vital roles in the growing numbers of nursing homes that are undergoing organizational and cultural changes to become places for elders to live life fully, not to die.

"I don’t think I can find a job working with older adults."

Gerontological social work is one of the 20 fastest growing job areas nationally.