Challenges for Asia as It Grows Old - NYTimes.com

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By ALAN WHEATLEY | REUTERS

If demography is destiny, as the French philosopher Auguste Comte put it, then Asia faces daunting challenges in the coming decades.

Markets understandably track the rate and composition of gross domestic product to gauge short-term economic shifts. But it is changes to the underlying productive capacity of an economy that count in the long run. Swing factors include openness to outside capital and ideas as well as the quality of education and governance.

Another is the effect of population trends on the supply of labor and on savings and investment rates. Witness North Africa and the Middle East. One reason behind the turmoil engulfing the region is the failure of governments to address a youth bulge, spawning large cohorts of angry, unemployed young men.

With the notable exception of India, most Asian countries have the opposite problem. The region is growing old, as painfully illustrated by the March 11 earthquake in northeast Japan.
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Europe's Economy to Undergo Vast Changes with Aging Population

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The aging population of baby boomers in Europe has many implications, but one of the most important is the way that this demographic will impact national economies. Experts are predicting that a significant loss of workforce coupled with high unemployment and deficit, many countries will completely restructure, according to The Guardian.

The prediction, coined "declinology," is a relatively new concept. Literature and studies are now being released that reveal that China, India and Brazil, with their growing populations, will likely surpass Europe in terms of economic power.

This is largely due to a lack of future workers in European countries - a recent report released by the bank HSBC has found that birth rates in the continent are too low to replace aging baby boomers in the workforce, according to The Telegraph.
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Benefits Of An Ageing Workforce, UK

Ministers have confirmed that the default retirement age will be phased out this year. This will inevitably lead to employees working till in to their late sixties and seventies.

Experts shared three pieces of new research on the benefits of an ageing workforce at the Occupational Psychology annual conference onthe 13 January at the Stratford-upon-Avon Holiday Inn.

Older workers feel health benefits

Chartered Health Psychologist Dr Frances Reynolds investigated the impact that working till a later age could have on employees' health and safety.

For example, some age-related problems could potentially compromise safety and well-being at work such as difficulties in tasks requiring divided attention, slower information processing speeds and physical issues such as poor eyesight or reduced strength. This study explored the health and safety experiences of post-retirement age workers. 42 people (age 60-91) were interviewed.

Frances explained: 'These older workers were highly engaged, experienced group who perceived themselves as unencumbered by the frailties traditionally associated with ageing. Most described deriving physical and cognitive well-being from work; perceived few safety concerns; and believed that, by continuing working, they were maintaining their psychological and physical health.'

Older workers more stable and conscientious

Chartered Occupational Psychologist Mr James Bywater (SHL Limited) has completed research on the expectations, aspirations, work style and capabilities of ageing employees. His study examined the work based personality of the very oldest segments of the UK population (over 65) by using the results of 235,407 Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ) questionnaires.

James explained: 'There is an assumption that older workers are not as valuable as younger workers, but based upon the evidence of this initial study there is no reason to discount this group as valuable human resources for the future. There is evidence that older workers are more conventional and have less desire to lead and to achieve career goals but this is parried by their conscientious, emotional stability and better social skills.'

Older workers have better customer service skills

Chartered Occupational Psychologist Dr Sheena Johnson (Manchester Business School) investigated how the changing age demographic of workers may have implications for health and well-being of employees in service organisations. Dr Johnson surveyed 273 customer service employees and managers working in a national retail organisation about customer related stress, dealing with conflict and their health (physical, mental and emotional).

Sheena explained: 'Older employees experienced fewer negative customer behaviours and were more diplomatic and better at keeping calm. Overall being older and more experienced meant they were better at dealing with customers varied needs.'

View the full conference programme online.

Source:
The British Psychological Society
Benefits Of An Ageing Workforce, UK

As Populations Age, a Chance for Younger Nations - NYTimes.com

Image via WikipediaBy TED C. FISHMAN

YOU MAY KNOW that the world’s population is aging — that the number of older people is expanding faster than the number of young — but you probably don’t realize how fast this is happening. Right now, the world is evenly divided between those under 28 and those over 28. By midcentury, the median age will have risen to 40. Demographers also use another measure, in addition to median age, to determine whether populations are aging: “elder share.” If the share, or proportion, of people over 60 (or sometimes 65) is growing, the population is aging. By that yardstick too, the world is quickly becoming older. Pick any age cohort above the median age of 28 and you’ll find its share of the global population rising faster than that of any segment below the median. By 2018, 65-year-olds, for example, will outnumber those under 5 — a historic first. In 2050, developed countries are on track to have half as many people under 15 as they do over 60. In short, the age mix of the world is turning upside down and at unprecedented rates.

This means profound change in nearly every important relationship we have — as family members, neighbors, citizens of nations and the world. Aging populations also alter how business is done everywhere.
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Recognizing the 15th Anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center (BSC) Program - Disability.gov

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By Guest Blogger Kevin A. Lynch, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Industries for the Blind in disability.gov

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and a prime opportunity to recognize the impressive abilities of people who are blind or have other severe disabilities. It is a chance for employers to appreciate how individuals with disabilities contribute to our workplaces in so many ways and discover their true capabilities.

This month, National Industries for the Blind is also marking the 15^th anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center (BSC) Program.

Both NDEAM and the 15th anniversary of the BSC program are important opportunities for us to think about employing people who are blind.

For 15 years, AbilityOne Base Supply Centers have supported federal customers with a full-service, flexible, on-site operation. The BSCs provide 24/7 year-round one-stop shopping to armed forces and federal government employees at 140 locations across the country.

Because creating employment opportunities for people who are blind is NIB’s mission, I want to share some important numbers with you that demonstrate the success of this program.

The AbilityOne Base Supply Center Program is directly responsible for the employment of more than 300 Americans who are blind or have severe disabilities. These dedicated team members provide customer service, shelf stocking, purchasing, inventory and retail store management in support of each participating military base’s mission.

Additionally, sales of SKILCRAFT® and other AbilityOne products and services to military personnel provide jobs and career advancement opportunities for nearly 40,000 people with disabilities, who make SKILCRAFT products or provide services through the AbilityOne Program. Since nearly 70 percent of individuals who are blind are unemployed, the job opportunities provided by National Industries for the Blind help our employees gain economic independence and the pride and confidence associated with working.
Today, we are celebrating the anniversary of the original AbilityOne Base Supply Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, which is supported by the local Durham, North Carolina, agency LC Industries.

In today’s economy, I believe more than ever before, Americans have a deeper understanding of the important value and benefits of a good job. LC Industries’ BSC employees work every day to enhance their personal freedom, their economic freedom and America’s freedom as they support Fort Bragg’s mission.
Our celebration at Fort Bragg today is an affirmation of America’s willingness to knock down barriers to freedom at home and abroad. It is a celebration of how the American dream is created in business opportunities, followed by hard work, innovation and quality service. This is a celebration of the success that is being achieved in North Carolina and throughout the United States.

National Industries for the Blind and our 90 community-based associated nonprofit agencies provide jobs for people who are blind. Our organizations offer resources, training and adaptive technologies to help promote economic opportunities. Our mission is creating and sustaining jobs. People who are blind operate stores, run distribution centers and produce goods and services that directly benefit our federal government and armed forces.

In October, we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month and applaud the contribution people who are blind make to support our military and the federal government through the AbilityOne Program.

Kevin A. Lynch is the President and CEO of National Industries for the Blind. His career at NIB, and at some of its associated agencies, spans nearly 30 years. NIB’s associated agencies are the largest providers of employment and rehabilitative services to Americans who are blind, presenting them with opportunities to master new job skills based on their interests and abilities.

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Expect doc shortages to worsen in post-reform era: AAMC - Healthcare business news from Modern Healthcare

Image by Getty Images via @daylife By Jennifer Lubell
Without increases in residency training, physician shortages post-reform will continue to worsen for both primary and specialty care, the Association of American Medical Colleges is reporting.

The AAMC estimates that there will be a shortage of 45,000 primary-care doctors and 46,000 surgeons and medical specialists over the next decade, driven in part by the healthcare reform law's new coverage expansions and the aging of the population.
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California has paid scores of criminals to care for vulnerable residents - latimes.com

By Evan Halper

Scores of people convicted of crimes such as rape, elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon are permitted to care for some of California's most vulnerable residents as part of the government's home health aide program.

Data provided by state officials show that at least 210 workers and applicants flagged by investigators as unsuitable to work in the program are nonetheless scheduled to resume or begin employment.

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Half of county's doctors are near retirement age » Ventura County Star

By Tom Kisken

Out of a group of more than 750 doctors in Ventura County, half will turn 55 or older before the end of the year, according to a local medical association. One of three will turn 60 or older.


The doctors aren’t growing crow’s feet alone. About half of the registered nurses in Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties were 50 and older in 2008, according to the California Board of Registered Nursing. About 18 percent of the nurses were in their 60s, more than those who were 34 and younger.

The graying numbers don’t surprise Dr. Gary Proffett, the 62-year-old medical director of an Oxnard-based physicians network who has decided he can’t retire because of the economy. But he is alarmed at the number of healthcare professionals who could pack away their stethoscopes before hospitals and clinics are flooded by aging baby boomers with longer life expectancies and the uninsured people who will be covered by federal healthcare reform in 2014.

“Who’s going to see them?” he said. “Who’s going to see millions of people? I don’t know.”

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InFocus Home Support Workers

Why focus on home support workers in the continuum of care?

Aging in place is about getting the right care at the right time in the right place, and by the right care giver. To date, there is little recognition of the critical role that front line, non-medical home support workers (HSWs) play in many different settings across the health care continuum.

HSWs make up a substantial proportion of the health care workforce and provide much needed assistance with daily activities in hospitals, long-term care and educational facilities, adult day programs and at home in the community. According to Lilly (2008), the Canadian Home Care Human Resources Study Survey of Formal Caregivers estimated that HSWs carry out most (70–80%) of all paid home care work in the country. Yet, we know relatively little about them (Aronson and Neysmith, 1996; Ontario Association of Community Care Access Centre et al., 2000; Toronto District Health Council 2002; Twigg, 1999).

This InFocus gives an overview of the role of home support workers within the broad continuum of care, their training programs and standards in Canada and other jurisdictions. While there may be some overlap in the issues around home support workers who serve older people and those who care for people with disabilities, there are many issues distinctive to aging or disability. For this reason, this InFocus deals primarily with home support workers for older people.

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Senior Service America - A Guide for Providers: Engaging Immigrant Seniors

How can providers help older immigrants join the workforce?
How can older immigrants contribute to their new community?

To help answer these questions, Senior Service America and the Center for Applied Linguistics have produced A Guide for Providers: Engaging Immigrant Seniors in Community Service and Employment Programs. This publication offers practical advice, activities and resources designed to help older immigrants reduce their isolation, and build communications and job-related skills.

Publication of the book comes at a time of accelerated immigration. The 2000 Census estimated the foreign-born population in the United States at about 31 million -- 11 percent of the total population. Providing services to and opportunities for older immigrants is more important now that ever before.

• Preface
• Introduction
• Chapters
• Download a complete copy or select chapters

This publication was made possible through the collaborative efforts of many individuals and organizations who care deeply about aging and the growing diversity of our nation.

• About our partners
• Acknowledgements

Request your free copy.

Senior Service America - A Guide for Providers: Engaging Immigrant Seniors

THE LONG-TERM CARE WORKFORCE: OVERVIEW AND STRATEGIES TO ADAPT SUPPLY TO A GROWING DEMAND

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This working paper offers an overview of the LTC workforce and reviews country responses to agrowing demand for LTC workers.


In the context of ageing societies, the importance of long-term care is growing in all OECD countries. In 2005, long-term care expenditure accounted for slightly over 1% of GDP across OECD countries (OECD Health Data 2008), but this is projected to reach between 2% and 4% of GDP by 2050(Oliveira Martins et al., 2006). Spending on long-term care as a share of GDP rises with the share of the population that is over 80 years old, which is expected to triple from 4 per cent to 11-12 per cent between 2005 and 2050.


In addition to ageing, there are other factors likely to affect future spending. Trends in severe disability among elderly populations across 12 OECD countries for which data are available do not show a consistent sign of decline (Lafortune and Balestat, 2007), while the number of elderly that need assistance in carrying out activities of daily living is also growing. Meanwhile, societal changes – notably possible reductions in the importance of informal care due to rising labour market participation by women and declining family size, as well as growing expectations for more responsive, quality health and social-care systems – are creating pressures to improve value for money in long-term care systems. These factors add pressures on the workforce of this highly labour-intensive sector. Adding to this are the difficulties in attracting and retaining caregivers to a physically and mentally gruelling profession.


These trends may well not result in future shortages of LTC workers if labour markets are able to adapt to increased demand via, for example, higher wages and better working conditions. Several solutions are indeed being considered to manage a growing demand for LTC workers. A first solution is to increase the LTC workforce.
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S. 1788: A bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard to... (GovTrack.us)

Al Franken via last.fm

A bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard to reduce injuries to patients, direct-care registered nurses, and all other health care workers by establishing a safe patient handling and injury prevention standard, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Al Franken [D-MN]

Text

Introduced Oct 15, 2009
Referred to Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Updates

The Institute for Geriatric Social Work Receives Five-Year Continuation Grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies to Strengthen Workforce in Aging

The Institute for Geriatric Social Work (IGSW) at Boston University School of Social Work has just announced receipt of a five-year, $3.1 million grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies (AP) to continue IGSW's path-breaking efforts in preparing the social services workforce for an aging society. Since it was established with initial funding from AP in 2002, IGSW has become a national leader in provision of post-professional training in aging, improving the practice of social workers and others who care for older people and their families.

Adult Learner-Centered Training: in Home and Residential Care

Turnover among direct-care workers, especially those who are new on the job, is an ongoing issue for long-term care employers. Many factors contribute to the problem, but one workers themselves often cite, is inadequate preparation for the job. Recognizing that traditional training programs are often not effective, PHI, over the last two decades, has developed a different approach to preparing workers. Drawing on the principles of adult learning, PHI trainings engage learners more actively through small group work, role plays, and other interactive techniques. These learner-centered trainings are more successful than traditional approaches in developing workers communication, problem solving and work readiness skills, giving workers the tools they need to develop positive caregiving relationships. A new guide from PHI called Adult Learner Centered Training: An Introduction for Educators in Home and Residential Care (pdf) outlines the PHI approach to training and provides educators with tools to bring learner-centered principles to their own training programs.Though there are many books on adult learner-centered teaching, this is the first guide specifically for long-term care educators. Using a highly accessible format, it introduces readers to the principles of adult learner-centered teaching and then uses examples from the field to illustrate how to use the approach.

CNA Empowerment: Effects on Job Performance and Work Attitudes

Journal of Gerontological Nursing Vol. 34 No. 3 March 2008 By Cynthia M. Cready, PhD; Dale E. Yeatts, PhD; Melissa M. Gosdin, MA; Helen F. Potts, PhD Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) who feel empowered tend to perform their duties better, have a higher morale and job satisfaction rate, and are less likely to consider leaving their jobs, a Commonwealth Fund-supported study finds. CNA empowerment also leads to greater job satisfaction rates and a lower intention to quit among those nurses who worked with the CNAs, according to the study "CNA Empowerment: Effects on Job Performance and Work Attitudes" (Journal of Gerontological Nursing, March 2008). The research centered on 10 nursing homes in Texas. "This study found that feelings of high empowerment among CNAs were associated with more positive assessments of personal performance by CNAs, more positive assessments of CNA performance by nurses, and better work-related attitudes of both CNAs and nurses, including increased job satisfaction and less intent to quit," wrote a team of University of North Texas researchers led by Cynthia M. Cready, Ph.D. Although CNA empowerment can be a beneficial management tool, implementation challenges confront nursing home operators. Empowerment Boosts Job Performance Empowered work teams, also known as self-directed or self-managed work teams, have long existed in manufacturing and other sectors, with studies observing a variety of benefits. Empowered work teams include employees with similar job titles and responsibilities who make decisions and recommendations on aspects of their jobs and perceive their position as being meaningful. While the strategy is new to nursing homes, its appeal has increased as more nursing home providers shift their focus from a medical model to a resident-centered model of care. The researchers studied data from surveys fielded at 10 Texas nursing homes—five that had implemented CNA-empowered work teams and five traditionally managed facilities—to determine the effect on performance of empowered CNA work teams. Researchers compared the job performance and attitudes of highly empowered CNAs with those of less empowered CNAs. In measuring CNA perceptions of their own job performance, the group with the highest empowerment (as measured by responses to survey questions on variables like autonomy in doing work and perceived meaningfulness of work) scored "significantly higher" on all three of the performance measures than those with lower empowerment. In rating their own job performance, highly empowered CNAs said they have: more-effective work procedures; enough time to feed, turn, and assist residents; and the ability to support each other. This pattern was mimicked in the nurses' assessments of CNA job performance. Nurses who perceived the CNAs in their nursing home to be highly empowered rated them higher in five different aspects of performance: effective work procedures; work well together; staffing adequate to do a good job; enough time to provide care; and cooperation with nurses. However, the study found that nurses did not feel having highly empowered CNAs freed up more of their time, especially concerning time to complete paperwork. Effects on Job Morale, Retention In examining the relation between CNA empowerment and job attitudes, absenteeism, and intention to quit among both CNAs and nurses, the study found that highly empowered CNAs brought greater satisfaction for both CNAs and nurses. CNAs with high empowerment said they had high self-esteem and greater satisfaction with their job and schedule. These CNAs experienced less burnout, felt more committed to the nursing home, and were less likely to be thinking of leaving their job. Nurses who worked with highly empowered CNAs also reported greater job satisfaction and were less likely to be considering leaving their job. However, the study found that both nurses and CNAs self-reported about the same level of absenteeism regardless of the level of CNA empowerment. Conclusions Nursing home operators can use CNA empowerment teams to boost morale and job performance among CNAs and nurses, as well as lower their desire to leave their jobs and raise the quality of care and life for their patients. Previous studies, however, have found that employee empowerment is most effective when supported by management policies and procedures. Therefore, the researchers conclude that nursing home managers can overcome the many challenges of successfully implementing empowerment teams by finding the time to ask for and listen to CNAs' suggestions, providing consistent feedback to those suggestions, and allowing CNAs to be part of the decision-making process in situations requiring immediate action. Other recommendations include allowing CNAs to have the time to learn how to work together as a team, accepting the possibility that CNAs will sometimes make mistakes, and ensuring CNAs direct care duties are covered while they attend weekly scheduled meetings.

Labor Surplus Areas by State

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to announce the annual list of labor surplus areas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. DATES: Effective Date: The annual list of labor surplus areas is effective October 1, 2008, for all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Unemployment Insurance and Older Workers

People are living longer and healthier lives at the same time that layoffs are increasing and pension plans are being curtailed. As the era of longevity progresses, unemployment among older Americans is likely to be a growing problem. In addition to the traditional male workforce, a larger number of older women will have had substantially more work experience than was historically true. Among women without spousal support (the single, widowed, and divorced), many will find that they must remain employed if they are to meet their financial needs. The International Longevity Center - USA has published a new issue brief examining unemployment insurance and older workers. Download Report

Academic leaders work to ease work force crisis

By Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli, AMNews correspondent. Aug. 25, 2008 Current policies will not avert a U.S. health work force crisis, according to a report released in July by the Assn. of Academic Health Centers, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit group. Its report recommends developing a national planning body to unite efforts to stop work force shortages.

The Fallacy of the Lump of Labor: Adding to the Costs of Ageism

The theory of the lump of labor has helped to perpetuate negative perceptions of older people. The theory rests on the notion that the economy has a fixed number of jobs available and that employment of one group — in this case older people — means unemployment of another group. However, among economists, the theory is widely acknowledged to be a fallacy, as it fixates blindly on the short run, and ignores long-run labor market adjustments. This report illustrates just how the lump of labor theory contributes to the total cost of age discrimination in America — both monetary and nonmonetary.

When That Screen Starts to Look Smaller

By EILENE ZIMMERMAN Published: August 3, 2008, New York Times Experts offer tips to manage the everyday effects of aging in the workplace, from harder to read monitors to workstations that feel increasingly uncomfortable.