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three - Working Late: strategies to enhance productive and healthy environments for an older workforce
- Edited by Alan Walker, The University of Sheffield
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- Book:
- The New Dynamics of Ageing
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 09 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 28 February 2018, pp 39-58
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- Chapter
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Summary
Introduction
Demographic changes, including increased life expectancy and falling birth rates, are reflected in the increasing age of the workforce. Current estimates suggest that by 2020, over a third of the workforce will be aged 50 years or over (DWP, 2013). The increasing age of the workforce presents new opportunities and challenges for government and other agencies, employers and occupational health services, as well as for individual employees and their families. It is now essential to facilitate extended working lives by promoting health in the workplace. The Working Late project investigated the policy issues associated with later life working and developed interventions and design solutions to promote health, productivity and quality of working life of older people. Working Late was conducted between 2008 and 2013 and was uniquely placed to explore the impact of major legislative changes such as increasing the pension age and removing the default retirement age on older workers’ employment opportunities and experiences.
New policies are needed to achieve the change in culture necessary to encourage and enable people to work longer (Walker and Maltby, 2012). Improved older worker integration and enhanced employment outcomes among older workers will be key means for enabling economies to adjust to the pressures of population ageing (Banks, 2006). A number of barriers to later life working have been identified, including health conditions or disabilities, caring responsibilities, lack of relevant work experience and vocational skills, transport difficulties and age discrimination (Crawford et al, 2010). Research has shown that age discrimination is still prevalent. Using a matched job application methodology, Riach and Rich (2007) and Tinsley (2012) found significant age discrimination in the job application process regardless of legislation (2006 Employment Equality [Age] Regulations and 2010 Equality Act) against age discrimination in employment.
Previous studies have indicated that age-related decline in health is a major contributor to early exit from the workplace (Strijk et al, 2012). The ageing workforce creates a demand for research to support evidence-based policy and practice promoting and maintaining the health, quality of life and employability of older workers. The workplace is an ideal arena for delivering health education and intervening to promote healthy lifestyle change.
seven - Design for living in later life
- Edited by Alan Walker, The University of Sheffield
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- Book:
- The New Science of Ageing
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 04 March 2022
- Print publication:
- 29 August 2014, pp 209-240
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- Chapter
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Summary
The need has never been greater for products, services and environments to be developed in such a way that they do not exclude, but instead reflect more accurately the diverse demands of today's users – particularly older and disabled people. (Professor Sir Christopher Frayling, Foreword, in Clarkson et al, 2003)
Introduction
Knowledge transfer is the starting point for this chapter, which has been crafted by members of six collaborative research teams who have been involved in unique projects concerning aspects of everyday living for older people, addressing issues of technology and design from a human perspective. A real dichotomy underpins this work, because while the focus has been on working with and learning from people in later life, all address issues that may affect people of all ages. So there is a real sense that while we may continue to highlight the underpinning ageism of designers, retailers and the youth-obsessed market, what we are really demonstrating is the importance of inclusive or universal design (Coleman, 1994) throughout the life course, or what has been called ‘transgenerational design’ (Pirkl, 1994). In recognising this we can see that this body of work from the New Dynamics of Ageing (NDA) Programme builds on the seminal research carried out for the i-design consortium funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) (2002–07) that brought together researchers in engineering and design (see Clarkson et al, 2003; Royal College of Art, 2012). It also recognises the dynamism of design outlined here by Fuad-Luke (2009, p xix):
The real JOY of design is to deliver fresh perspectives, improved well-being and an intuitive sense of balance with the wider world. The real SPIRIT of design elicits some higher meaning. The real POWER of design is that professionals and laypeople can co-design in amazingly creative ways. The real BEAUTY of design is its potential for secular, pluralistic expression. The real STRENGTH of design is this healthy variance of expression. The real RELEVANCE of design is its ability to be proactive. The real PASSION of design is in its philosophical, ethical and practical debate.
The NDA researchers also include a wide range of disciplines, bringing together social and medical scientists and the humanities alongside engineering and design colleagues.
four - Maintaining health and well-being: overcoming barriers to healthy ageing
- Edited by Alan Walker, The University of Sheffield
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- Book:
- The New Science of Ageing
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 04 March 2022
- Print publication:
- 29 August 2014, pp 113-154
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- Chapter
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Summary
This chapter concentrates on health and well-being, drawing on 11 New Dynamics of Ageing (NDA) projects covering the whole range, from basic biology to the arts and humanities. Our main purpose is to employ the findings from our projects to examine the barriers to healthy ageing and how to overcome them. By way of introduction to this discussion of healthy ageing we first consider some key concepts in this field: ageing and ill health, older age, quality of life and subjective well-being. We begin with an overview of the main demographic changes that underline the importance of research on healthy ageing.
Key concepts for healthy ageing
Demographic changes
Major demographic shifts are currently under way in countries of the developed world such as the UK. In the 25-year period from 1985 to 2010 the number of adults aged over 65 in the UK increased by 1.7 million, and the number of those aged over 85 almost doubled to 1.4 million (ONS, 2011a). This is partly due to improvements in mortality leading to higher numbers in old age. Life expectancy is increasing at a rate of two years per decade in developed societies. However, there are sharply divergent views about how trends in life expectancy may develop during this century. For example, Christensen et al (2009, p 1196) pointed out, ‘if the pace of increase in life expectancy in developed countries over the past two centuries continues through the 21st century, most babies born since 2000 … [in] countries with long life expectancies will celebrate their 100th birthdays … research suggests that ageing processes are modifiable and that people are living longer without severe disability.’ On the other hand, Olshansky et al (2005, p 1142) stated, ‘as a result of the substantial rise in the prevalence of obesity and its life-shortening complications such as diabetes, life expectancy at birth and at older ages could level off or even decline within the first half of this century’.
The magnitude and implications of population ageing depend heavily on the magnitude of mortality improvement in decades to come. At present, overall age-standardised mortality rates (both sexes combined) are improving at about 2.5 per cent per annum in the UK (based on ONS, 2012a), but current trends are heavily influenced by patterns at ages where deaths are concentrated.