Careers in Aging
Careers in aging include:
- providing clinical care of older persons
- conducting research on aging (gerontology), diseases and disorders affecting older persons
- teaching
- administration
- and positions that combine these roles
If you are considering a career in aging, UCLA is a great place to be. We offer programs and training in many disciplines that relate to aging including medicine, nursing, social welfare, dentistry, public health. Our interdisciplinary approach and innovative strategies are designed to ensure the best possible quality of life for older adults.
Positive Employment Outlook for Careers in Aging
Beginning in 2011 the first baby boomers turned 65, ushering in a new generation of older Americans that is markedly different from previous generations, with higher levels of education, lower levels of poverty, more racial and ethnic diversity, and fewer children.
Their most striking characteristic, however, are their numbers. The aging of the baby boom population, combined with an increase in life expectancy and a decrease in the relative number of younger persons, will create a situation where older adults make up a much larger percentage of the U.S. population than ever before.
Between 2005 and 2030 the number of adults aged 65 and older will almost double, from 37 million to over 70 million, accounting for an increase from 12 percent of the U.S. population to almost 20 percent. While this population surge has been foreseen for decades, not enough has been done to prepare the health care workforce for its arrival."
UCLA is a great place to take your first steps toward a career in aging. We strive not only to prepare the very best workforce for an aging America through education, clinical training, and research, but also to open the many doors to new careers.
Questions?
If you have any questions about opportunities within the UCLA Division of Geriatrics, feel free to contact us at our main office.