Career Field Overview
Professionals who develop and deliver content for television, books, musical performances, movies, theater, social media, and other forms of entertainment need to understand the impact of that content as well as how people access it. Authentic portrayals of older adults and the aging experience help diminish stereotypes associated with old age and aging. Ensuring people of all ages can and do engage with entertainment that accurately represents the population promotes health, well-being, and life satisfaction. Professionals in performing arts and entertainment with a gerontology background are prepared to ensure broad interest in and access for diverse people, both as performers and consumers.
Articles of Interest
Age Stigma is Fading
Aging and Theater
Movies for Grownups
Older Adults and Entertainment
Participating in the arts creates paths to healthy aging.
Resources
Watch the Video:
Children’s Books as Careers in Aging: A Panel of Authors, Illustrators, Promoters, and Distributors
Thank you to the Gerontological Society of America for providing funding to host a panel during Careers in Aging Month in March of 2024. A group of children’s book authors, illustrators, promoters, and sellers joined to discuss how such careers can be careers in aging. Children’s books are a key avenue for young kids to learn about growing older, and it is vital that such books convey accurate and optimistic information about aging rather than presenting older adults in negative, stereotypical ways that focus on decline. Check out the video and these resources to learn more!
- UNCW Gerontology: https://www.uncw.edu/gerontology
- UNC Charlotte Gerontology: https://gerontology.charlotte.edu/
- Lindsey McDivitt’s site “A is for Aging, B is for Books”: https://www.lindseymcdivitt.com/
- Sandra McGuire’s site “Growing Up and Growing Older: Books for Young Readers”: https://library.lmunet.edu/booklist
- Jerry Jones’s Roasted Bookery website: https://theroastedbookery.com/
- Anita Crawford Clark’s book “Old to Joy” on the Gnome Road Publishing website: https://gnomeroadpublishing.com/products/old-to-joy
- UNC Press “The Delany Sisters Reach High” by Amy Hill Hearth site: https://uncpress.org/book/9781469679693/the-delany-sisters-reach-high/