As the number of people who are living long enough to grow old—and then living longer in old age—grows, there has been increasing attention on the roles of physicians, nurses, social workers, and health care administrators in working with older people. It is surprising, however, that little attention has been paid to the unique role health educators can play in working with older people. This article will focus on the needs of people as they age and how health educators can apply their training and skills to assist older people live fuller, healthier lives. Existing and potential roles for health educators are identified. Discussion of possible reasons for the relative dearth of health educators working with the elders is included.
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