Gerontologist

What is a gerontologist?

A gerontologist is a professional who studies aging and promotes well-being among older adults. Gerontologists have, at minimum, a master’s degree in gerontology or a related field.

Gerontologists include healthcare providers you see and other professionals who work behind the scenes to support healthy aging. Examples of professionals who might also identify as gerontologists include:

• Physicians. They’re typically called geriatricians, or geriatric medicine doctors.
• Nurses. They’re typically called gerontological nurses, geriatric nurses or geriatric resource nurses (GRNs).
• Biologists.
• Psychologists.
• Behavioral and social scientists.
• Social workers.
• Economists.
• Scholars in the humanities or arts.

Gerontologists recognize that even though aging affects everyone, it doesn’t affect everyone in the same ways. For example:

• Adults who live in under-resourced communities may not have access to things healthcare providers often recommend. These include nutritious foods and recreational spaces for physical activity. Such limitations can affect their health and make it harder to manage chronic conditions.
• Some people live alone or far from a support system. They may not have opportunities for regular social engagement that would support their mental health and overall well-being.
• Older adults who don’t own a car or can’t drive may miss medical appointments. They may have to rely on others for help with transportation. This can affect their sense of independence.
• Some adults may have a hard time getting a job if employers prefer to hire younger candidates. This can lead to financial difficulties, personal frustration and the feeling that they aren’t valued in society.

Prejudice against people due to their age, known as ageism, is just one of many aspects of aging that gerontologists study and work to improve. The field of study dedicated to aging-related issues is called gerontology.

What is gerontology?

Gerontology refers to the study of aging in humans, especially as it occurs in adults over 65. Gerontologists study the physical and mental changes that happen as a person ages. But they also zoom out to see the bigger picture, beyond a person’s medical history. They look at all the factors that might influence how a person experiences aging. People who study gerontology are interested in the following:

• Changes that happen to someone as they age. These include changes to a person’s body, mind and social routines.
• Changes that happen within society as people get older.
• Interactions between an aging person and their environment.
• How social determinants of health influence a person’s well-being.
• How to use knowledge about aging to create beneficial policies and programs for aging adults.
• How to combat prejudice and discrimination against aging adults in the workplace and elsewhere.

Gerontology is an interdisciplinary field. This means people from many different areas of study (like medicine, sociology and biology) all might use the title of “gerontologist” to describe what they do. These professionals share knowledge with each other to help the field grow.

Where do gerontologists work?

Gerontologists work in a wide range of settings, including:

• Hospitals and clinics.
• Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
• Community centers.
• Nonprofit or corporate offices.
• Research institutes.
• College campuses.

Some gerontologists work directly with the populations they serve. For example, they might care for adults in residential facilities or adult daycare programs. Other gerontologists work behind the scenes to improve older adults’ quality of life. They may work as program planners, corporate consultants or researchers.

What does a gerontologist do?

What a gerontologist does from day to day can vary widely according to their specific job. In general, all gerontologists do work that helps adults live longer and healthier lives.

Gerontologists recognize that adults over age 65 share many common needs. But they also know each person is unique. They work to ensure an individual’s needs, wants and values are respected no matter where they are (for example, at home, at work and in their community).

Specific tasks a gerontologist might do include:

• Develop programs for older adults that support their health or learning.
• Plan activities for adults in settings like retirement communities and adult daycare centers.
• Do needs assessments to learn how communities can better support aging adults.
• Advise employers on how to support aging adults in the workforce.
• Advise older adults and their families on matters related to employment, finances and housing.
• Provide direct care in hospitals, nursing homes and other settings.
• Advocate for older adults’ needs to lawmakers.
• Teach classes at colleges and universities.
• Research issues relevant to aging adults.
• Write and publish articles in professional journals.

Gerontologists do important work in society to support aging adults’ quality of life. And we’ll need them more than ever in the coming years. That’s because researchers predict the number of adults over age 65 will continue to grow. This is due to advances in medicine that allow people to live longer. So, society will need to find ways to help older adults not only hit new age milestones, but also thrive from day to day.

Areas of research in gerontology

Gerontologists research a wide range of issues relevant to aging adults. Examples include:

• Brain health, including differences between normal cognitive aging and changes related to dementia.
• The impact of specific diagnoses (like diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) on aging adults.
• How nutrition affects aging.
• The benefits of vaccination among older adults.
• Older adults’ impact on the economy, including their financial contributions to society.
• Oral health among older adults.
• How interactions with animals can support aging adults’ quality of life.

Research is ongoing and will continue to uncover new insights. Gerontologists and others who work with aging populations can use these insights to better support aging adults in healthcare and society more broadly.

Geriatrician vs. gerontologist — what’s the difference?

All geriatricians are also gerontologists, but not all gerontologists are geriatricians. Let’s take a closer look.

A geriatrician, or geriatric medicine doctor, is a physician (often an MD or DO) who cares for the medical needs of older adults. Geriatricians specialize in the branch of medicine called geriatrics. This branch focuses on preventing and managing multiple medical conditions that often occur later in life. Because geriatricians address issues related to aging, they’re technically also gerontologists (people who study aging).

But a geriatrician is just one example of a gerontologist. Many gerontologists pursue career paths outside of medicine. They might become a program administrator, teach at a university or work for a nonprofit organization. Gerontology is a big umbrella that includes many different professional roles. All gerontologists share a common interest in learning about aging processes. They want to help each person live their best possible life as they get older.

Gerontologist vs. gerontological professional — what’s the difference?

The difference is the level of education you need to hold these titles. People who have the title of “gerontologist” have graduate-level education. Gerontologists must earn, at minimum, a Master of Arts or Master of Science degree. Their degrees may be in gerontology or a related field with a special focus on aging. Some earn a doctorate or medical degree.

Gerontological professionals, sometimes called gerontological specialists, typically have a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in gerontology.