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Perhaps you have fond memories of baking with grandma or working in the garden with grandpa. Maybe you enjoy listening to elderly friends and relatives reminisce about their early years. If you have a fondness for older adults and an interest in healthcare, you'll have plenty of career opportunity in the years ahead.

Hospice is a philosophy of care designed to promote comfort and quality of life for patients with limited life expectancy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2004 and 2014, about 19 percent of all new wage and salary jobs - about 3.6 million - will be in healthcare - more than in any other industry.

The "graying of America" will drive this growth. By 2030, 20 percent of Americans will be over 65. And by 2050, the number of the "oldest-old," those over age 85, will increase to 19 million.

Wanted: Geriatric Specialists

Currently, Americans over age 65 make up 13 percent of the population. But they account for half of all doctor visits and hospital stays. The average 75-year-old has three chronic conditions and uses five prescription drugs, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Older patients also have different health challenges and needs than younger adults.

Yet according to a 2002 study published by the Alliance for Aging Research, less than 3 percent of health care providers are formally trained in geriatrics, or the treatment of older individuals, the group that makes up the bulk of their patients.

Out of 650,000 practicing physicians, only 9,000 are geriatricians and that number is expected to fall in the near future. Only 720 pharmacists, out of 200,000, have geriatric certification. And less than 1 percent of nurses have advanced certification in geriatrics.

A Widespread Impact

All healthcare professions will be impacted by the growth of the aging population. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners with knowledge and training in geriatrics will be in demand, due to the looming shortage of doctors who specialize in this field.

Also in demand will be nursing assistants and registered nurses to care for elders at home and in long-term care facilities.

Physical and occupational

therapists will be sought to work with elderly patients who suffer from arthritis or the effects of a stroke. Speech therapists will be needed to assess and rehabilitate people who have difficulty swallowing or trouble speaking due to illness, injury or hearing loss.

Respiratory care practitioners

will be needed to help physicians diagnose, treat and evaluate older people with disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Psychologists and counselors will be called on to work with seniors who suffer from mental health disorders such as depression.

End-Of-Life Care

To ease their final days, many elders and their families turn to hospice care. Hospice is a philosophy of care designed to promote comfort and quality of life for patients with limited life expectancy. Almost half of the patients have cancer, but more patients with dementia, debility, strokes and lung diseases are being admitted to hospice, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Hospice personnel include nurses; social workers; chaplains; home health aides; physical, occupational and speech therapists; and complementary healthcare professionals such as massage therapists.