Aging workers
As fertility rates fall and life expectancy climbs, the average age of Canada’s population continues to rise. This has widespread implications for social policies and the world of work. IWH research explores these implications, such as the effects of aging on work ability, injury rates, injury and disease prevention, productivity, accommodation and return to work. It also looks at the workplace and social programs that will allow aging workers to remain at work in a healthy and productive way until they transition into retirement.
Featured
At Work article
Understanding employment patterns among older workers in four countries
Relationships among education level, disability, work participation not always as expected
Published: October 1, 2019
At Work article
Boomers with and without chronic conditions have similar needs for workplace supports
IWH study of older workers finds those in good health similar to those with arthritis or diabetes in using—and benefiting from—programs such as flex-time and telework
Published: February 12, 2019
At Work article
Understanding employment patterns among older workers in four countries
In many developed countries, including Canada, encouraging older workers to stay in the workforce is a common policy goal. But what do we know about current work participation patterns among people older than 65? A new study involving IWH looks at data in Canada, the U.K., Denmark and Sweden.
Published: October 2019
IWH in the media
Implications of an aging workforce for work injury, recovery, returning to work and remaining at work
As the average age of Canadian workers continues to rise, employers may wonder about the implications on work injury, recovery, return to work and remaining at work. Some may expect that risks of injury are higher among older workers, that their injuries are more severe, or that timelines to recover and return to work are longer. However, findings from recent studies, including several conducted at IWH, paint a more nuanced picture. This article by IWH summarizes the evidence.
Published: OOHNA Journal, April 2019
Journal article
Journal article
Implications of an aging workforce for work injury, recovery, returning to work and remaining at work
Published: OOHNA Journal, April 2019
Journal article
Journal article
Inequalities in employment rates among older men and women in Canada, Denmark, Sweden and the UK
Published: BMC Public Health, March 2019
At Work article
Boomers with and without chronic conditions have similar needs for workplace supports
Yes, older workers with diabetes or arthritis experience fatigue and pain. But they're not that different from healthy peers in how much they need, or use, workplace accommodations, an IWH study has found.
Published: February 2019
Journal article
Journal article
The associations between falls, fall injuries, and labor market outcomes among U.S. workers 65 years and older
Published: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, October 2018
Journal article
Journal article
Age, sex, and the changing disability burden of compensated work-related musculoskeletal disorders in Canada and Australia
Published: BMC Public Health, June 2018
Journal article
Journal article
The role of sex, gender, health factors, and job context in workplace accommodation use among men and women with arthritis
Published: Annals of Work Exposures and Health, February 2018
Journal article
Journal article
Early labor force exit subsequent to permanently impairing occupational injury or illness among workers 50-64 years of age
Published: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, February 2018
At Work article
Paper on aging and MSDs draws on WHO framework
CRE-MSD position paper by IWH researchers draws on the World Health Organization's framework on healthy aging to prevent MSDs among older workers.
Published: February 2017