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Occupational therapy - meeting the needs of older adult workers?

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and better understand (a) why aging workers continue to work past retirement age, (b) how aware occupational therapists are of the needs of the growing demographic of the aging worker, and (c) potential occupational therapy interventions that could better help this population.


METHOD
This study was conducted with a mixed method design approach, specifically the parallel/simultaneous design, which consisted of both qualitative and quantitative investigation. The quantitative portion of the study focused on data obtained from the surveys and the qualitative portion was based on phenomenological interviews of aging workers.


RESULTS
Themes emerging from the interviews demonstrate the importance of health promoting habits and family support in providing the critical foundation to maintain employment past age 55. Financial stability was a key motivator which compelled the interviewees to continue working. The older workers had no planned date for retirement and felt confident that the knowledge and life experience they offered were important qualities they brought to the workplace. The survey showed a need for occupational therapists to become more responsive to the growing demographic of older adult workers as they reported limited service enhancement and expansion for this group.


CONCLUSION
Aging workers are prime candidates for occupational therapy. However, the profession appears to be overlooking opportunities to meet the needs of these productive community members. Occupational therapists need to better respond to the physical, social, psychological, cognitive, and environmental challenges faced by this well population. The authors challenge occupational therapists to alter services, seek funding and obtain continuing education so they are better equipped to establish and enhance effective programs for this growing population.