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If you’re like most students, you want to work toward a career that’s as emotionally fulfilling as it is financially sound. That combo can be really hard to come by, but you can find both by earning your degree as a physical therapist and working with seniors. By becoming a physical therapist, you can also open the door to these benefits for yourself and the older adults whose lives you will touch. Here’s what you need to know, presented by Newsstary.
You Can Help Seniors Improve Their Physical and Emotional Well-Being
Seniors tend to need physical therapy during some of the most stressful times of their life, whether that’s after surgery, after an injury, or just to maintain mobility. Physical therapy is the crucial treatment that can help older adults heal and move past these challenges, and certain Medicare Advantage plans even pay for this type of treatment.
So, by becoming a physical therapist, you are literally helping seniors get back on their feet again, but you could also be helping them get back their quality of life as well. That’s because, in addition to providing the physically therapeutic care they need, your services will also offer a crucial social connection for seniors.
You Could Actually Learn a Thing or Two from Your Experience
Helping seniors gain back their mobility and emotional balance can be rewarding for physical therapists. Those mental health benefits can go both ways, however, since research has found that intergenerational connections can have perks for older adults and younger adults alike.
Even though you will already be in the middle of your career, seniors have a way of acting as mentors to the younger adults they interact with, allowing them to impart wisdom in all areas of life. Your senior patients can be a wealth of knowledge, so listen to them as you work through their therapy. AARP points out that working with older generations can also have perks for your career since interaction with older, even retired, workers can provide confidence and networking boosts.
You Can Find Work, Job Security, and a Decent Salary Just About Anywhere
Physical therapists are one of the most in-demand jobs available in the healthcare sector, and there are a variety of settings where you can practice your skills. You are likely to begin your career in a hospital setting and you may even work in geriatrics if you decide to focus on senior physical therapy. From there, however, the possibilities are endless since you can take a position with an outpatient center, rehabilitation office, nursing home, or senior center. You can even work as a physical therapist from your own home. Remember to use a website like ZipRecruiter to help you find the job you want.
By taking these positions, you’ll pick up skills that you use during the course of your work. For example, you may end up using a medical transcription app throughout the day. Beyond that, you’ll also learn to use office-related tools and apps.
What all of this means is that you can move anywhere and likely still find a position that pays well. Working as a full-time physical therapist, you can expect an average salary of $91,010, although that number can be a bit lower or higher depending on several job factors, such as location and years of experience.
Remember that one of the keys to getting the job you want is to have a great resume. Although you can hire someone to put together one for you, there are many great resume templates online that can help you put together an engaging and memorable resume that’s sure to get the attention of would-be employers you want to impress.
Lastly, don’t rule out having a good business card, as it could help you leave a lasting impression on potential employers. Fortunately, you can use a free tool online to design your business cards using premade templates. By adding your own fonts, colors, and images, you can make a business card that is unique to you.
You Can Even Work as a PT Assistant as You Work to Become a Physical Therapist
Before you can begin to help seniors as a physical therapist, you need to complete the necessary education and experience requirements. This process can take up to seven years and includes obtaining an undergraduate degree, a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, and obtaining licenses in order to be placed in a residency program.
As previously stated, all that hard work is well worth the generous salary and potential for job growth, but if you want to start practicing your physical therapy skills with seniors sooner, you can also look into completing coursework to earn your associate’s degree first. You can typically earn an associate’s degree in physical therapy within two years or less, which will allow you to work as a physical therapy assistant. You can even work in this position part-time as you work toward becoming a physical therapist.
Physical therapists who specialize in caring for seniors can earn a comfortable income while providing priceless services to older adults. It’s a career that will leave your heart as full as your bank account, so think about becoming a physical therapist today! Once you do, the possibilities to do good while living well are endless!
