Harry Shannon is a Professor in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada. His research projects have included many occupational epidemiology studies. In particular he has explored the role of organizational factors, interventions to create safe workplaces, and how to evaluate such interventions. He is the Chair of the Methodology Working Group for the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.
The aging of the population is now well known; indeed demographers have been predicting this trend for several decades. Not only are people living longer, but fertility in Western countries is also below replacement. As a result, there are relatively few young people entering the workforce and this pattern is likely to continue (even if unemployment in youth declines). Government concerns about the viability of social programs, especially pensions, has led the European Union to encourage more people aged 55-64 to remain in the workforce. Since older workers may be less able to cope with the demands of work, the health and safety implications must be considered.
This talk will briefly show the evidence of the aging of the population. It will describe the changing age structure of workforces in Western societies and how this is occurring over decades, allowing societies time to adapt. The presentation will then outline the normal changes in health that occur with age, and discuss the implications for management of the increasing number of older workers. I will pay attention to both physical health and cognitive and mental health, and discuss how companies can ensure the health and safety of their experienced and valuable employees.