Portugal has one of the oldest populations in Europe and the world. In the last 10 years, the 65+ age group has been the only one to grow (+20.6%) and now represents 23.4% of the Portuguese population. Preventing negative attitudes towards older adults should be a priority in ageing societies. Unfavourable attitudes towards this group can lead to poorer quality of formal services and care. Social work is an educational field that will play a crucial role in the implementation of social services for older adults. In Portugal, there are few studies analysing social work students’ attitudes towards older adults and their implications. To fill this gap, we will present the preliminary results of a questionnaire study (N = 112) conducted with social work students to examine their attitudes towards older adults and their interest to work with this group. The Kogan's Attitude Towards Old People Scale (KAOP) was used for this purpose. Preliminary results show that overall attitudes were slightly positive and that regular frequency of contact (daily) with grandparents was associated with more positive attitudes. However, only a small minority of respondents (17%) expressed an interest in working with older adults. In this paper we reflect on the importance of preparing these future professionals to carry out their professional activities within the context of the demographic and epidemiological changes facing our society.