The Impact of Working Beyond Traditional Retirement Ages on Mental Health: Implications for Public Health and Welfare Policy

The Relationship Between Work and Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: The Moderating Effect of Income, Subjective Socioeconomic Status, and Social Participation

OBJECTIVES

We examined the moderating effects of household income, subjective socioeconomic status (SES), social contact, and social engagement on the work-depressive symptoms relationship.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 5,216 adults aged 60 and older from six waves (2008-2018) of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA).

RESULTS

Two-level mixed-effects models showed that within-individual variation in work status was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. The relationship between work and depressive symptoms was stronger for older adults with low household income than for those with the average household income and was not significant for those with high household income. Moreover, the work-depressive symptoms relationship was stronger among older adults with low levels of subjective SES and social engagement and fewer social contacts compared with those with average or high levels of subjective SES and social engagement and more social contacts.

CONCLUSIONS

The greater impact of work on depressive symptoms in older adults with limited financial and social resources highlights the importance of addressing these deficits to improve mental health.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Clinicians should consider that the effect of work on depression varies depending on income, subjective SES, and social participation. Addressing financial hardship and promoting social participation are important for preventing depression in older adults.

Navigating Perceived Employment Barriers: Sociodemographic Influences and Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults

This study delves into the complex challenges surrounding the employment of older adults, investigating perceived barriers and their interaction with sociodemographic variables and life satisfaction. Utilizing data from 153 older adults and employing a cross-sectional design and multivariate analysis of covariance, the study uncovers significant associations between gender, age, race, and perceived barriers. Female, older, and racially diverse individuals report higher perceived employment barriers, indicating disparities influenced by sociodemographic factors. Gender and race interactions on these barriers are substantial, with life satisfaction emerging as a significant covariate affecting perceived employment barriers. These findings stress the importance of targeted interventions and policy reforms to address systemic inequalities and promote age-inclusive practices. By embracing diversity, fostering inclusivity, and championing age-friendly policies, stakeholders can create a more equitable labor market, empowering older adults to contribute meaningfully to society.

Comprehensive examination of support needs and mental well-being: a mixed-method study of the Austrian general population in times of crisis

Introduction

In the recent years, the Austrian general population has faced a confluence of multiple crises. This study investigates the support wishes and mental health parameters of the Austrian general population aiming to comprehending the unmet needs and providing guidance for future psychosocial interventions and research endeavors.

Methods

1,031 participants attended the online survey and one third (n = 332) wished for further support to improve mental well-being in April 2022. A total of 280 participants accompanied their support wish with written accounts. Participants' mental health status was evaluated using the PHQ-9 (depression), GAD-7 (anxiety), ISI (insomnia), PSS-10 (perceived stress), CAGE (alcohol abuse), WHO-5 (well-being), and the SCOFF (eating disorder) questionnaires. Data analysis employed a mixed-methods approach.

Results

The preeminent support wish identified was the need for professional mental support (29.3%), followed by communication (21.6%), other professional support except mental and medical support (13.9%). In line with these findings, participants expressing a support wish experienced increased mental health distress across all assessed parameters.

Conclusion

The findings indicate the presence of a vulnerable population within the Austrian general population, which may benefit from targeted support interventions. Consequently, this study contributes to the identification of unmet support needs among the Austrian populace during times of crisis, facilitating the development and enhancement of precisely tailored intervention strategies.

Who continues to work after retirement age?

BACKGROUND

Demographic changes in all industrialized countries have led to a keen interest in extending working lives for older workers. To achieve this goal, it is essential to understand the patterns of retirement and specifically what characterizes individuals who continue to work beyond retirement age. Thus, the aim of this paper was to contribute to the international body of empirical knowledge about individuals who continue in the workforce after retirement age. We present evidence from Denmark and examine what characterizes individuals who continue in the workforce after retirement age and investigate the likelihood of continued work after retirement age while controlling for a set of socio-economic and lifestyle factors.

METHODS

The study population consisted of 5,474 respondents to the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB) 2021 survey, divided into two groups. The first group included subjects (n = 1,293) who stayed longer in the workforce even though they had the possibility to retire. The second group consisted of subjects who had retired full-time at the time of the survey (n = 4,181). Survey data was linked to register data to provide a broader dataset. In order to investigate the heterogeneity between the two groups in terms of important socio-economic, work-related and health-related variables, t-test, Mann-Whitney U (Wilcoxon Rank) test, and chi-square tests were employed. Further, to examine the probability of an individual working after retirement age a logit model with step-wise inclusion was utilized.

RESULTS

Overall, individuals who continue to work even though they could retire tend to be wealthier, healthier, and males compared to individuals who are retired full-time. Further, there are more older workers who have partners and are co-habitants than retirees. The likelihood of continuing in the workforce past retirement age is affected by several work-related factors as well as life-style factors. The likelihood of working past retirement age decreases by years spent in the workforce (marginal effect of -0.003), if you have a partner (-0.080) and if your partner is outside of the workforce (marginal effect of -0.106). The likelihood increases by health (marginal effect of -0.044 of moving from excellent/very good health to good health or to fair/poor health, physical working capability (marginal effect of -0.083 of moving from no/some problems to severe problems or cannot work at all) and income (marginal effect of 0.083 from moving from the lowest income-quantile to higher quantiles).

CONCLUSION

These results are in line with the previous literature and suggest the importance of designing retirement policies that tailor the transition toward retirement according to specific characteristics of both the individual and the segment of occupation.

Associations between employment and mental health of older workers with disparate conditions: Evidence from China

PURPOSE

This study aimed to examine associations between the employment of older people and mental health across demographic characteristics, socioeconomic conditions, and health status, with a focus on pensions.

METHODS

This study included 4,512 participants aged 60-69 from the CLASS in 2014. A multiple linear regression was conducted to investigate the association between employment and mental health. A causal forest model was applied to estimate the heterogeneous treatment effects.

RESULTS

Employed individuals (n = 1,295) reported better mental health than their non-employed counterparts. This association displayed significant heterogeneity, primarily attributed to pensions. Those with lower pensions may be compelled to work due to financial reasons, thus offsetting the health-promotion effect of employment.

CONCLUSION

Employment may benefit the mental health of older adults, which has a more significant marginal effect on those who are men, older, urban residents, without a spouse, below primary education, receiving more pensions, and less family and friend support.

The associations of physical incapacity and wealth with remaining in paid employment after age 60 in five middle-income and high-income countries

Previous studies on health and socioeconomic determinants of later-life labour force participation have mainly come from high-income European countries and the United States of America (USA). Findings vary between studies due to different measures of socioeconomic status and labour force outcomes. This study investigated longitudinal associations of physical incapacity and wealth with remaining in paid employment after age 60 in middle- and high-income countries. Using harmonised cohort data in the USA, England, Japan, Mexico and China (N=32,132), multilevel logistic regression was applied for main associations. The age-related probabilities of remaining in paid employment by physical incapacity and wealth were estimated using marginal effects. This study found that physical incapacity predicted lower odds of remaining in paid employment in each country. Wealth was associated with higher odds of remaining in paid employment in the USA, England, and Japan, but not in Mexico. Probabilities of remaining in paid employment were high in Mexico but low in China. The absolute difference in the probability of remaining in paid employment between the richest and the poorest groups was greater in the USA than that in any other country. In the USA, England and Japan, the inverse association between physical incapacity and remaining in paid employment could be partially compensated by wealth only when physical incapacity was not severe. National policies, including considering older adults' changing capacities for job placement and prioritising the provision of supportive services for socioeconomically disadvantaged older adults, developing pathways for informal workers to access social security and pension coverage, and encouraging employers to hire socioeconomically disadvantaged older workers and enhancing their employability, could be facilitated. Future studies, such as exploring health and socioeconomic determinants of remaining in part-time and full-time paid employment separately in more countries, and the moderating effects of relevant policies on these associations, are needed.

Understanding social frailty

Social frailty, along with physical and psychological frailties, is one of the components of frailty that has been reported to increase the incidence of adverse health outcomes. Although the prevalence of social frailty is relatively high, consensus on how to define and measure it is insufficient. In considering social frailty, living alone, interaction with neighbors, and social participation are important indicators, and interaction with neighbors and social participation, which are modifiable factors, are important countermeasures. The promotion of these social activities will contribute to extending healthy life expectancy-for example, by promoting physical activity. However, older people's physical and social activities have been severely constrained by the coronavirus pandemic since 2020. In the future, it will be necessary to fully understand the characteristics and significance of social frailty and develop appropriate countermeasures.

Association between driving frequency and well-being among older adults

OBJECTIVES

Research on driving in older adulthood suggests that driving is a form of independence for older adults and is often associated with increased social capital and overall-being. However, few studies have examined whether the frequency of driving, and not driving alone, affects likelihood of having well-being among older adults. This study aimed to examine the association between frequency of driving and well-being among older adults, guided by the activity theory of aging.

METHODS

Data were drawn from the 2018 National Health and Aging Trends Study, a longitudinal panel survey of Medicare beneficiaries living in the United States. Bivariate analyses were conducted using Chi-square tests and the association between frequency of driving and well-being was tested with a multivariable logistic regression model. Well-being was determined by 11 items measuring positive and negative affect and asking participants if they agreed with certain statements about their lives.

RESULTS

After controlling for other factors that could influence well-being among older adults, results showed that those who drove every day were the most likely to have high well-being, followed by those who drove most days, those who drove some days, those who drove rarely, and those who never drove.

DISCUSSION

The study results indicate that as frequency of driving increases, the chance of having well-being increases among older adults. This supports the activity theory of aging and highlights the importance of productive aging.

Overage labor, value perceptions, and happiness in urban older adults' lives: Empirical evidence from China

Background

Over the past four decades, China has seen a rapid increase in the level of urbanization, along with an increasing number of older adults. How to promote active aging in the midst of rapid urbanization has become a new challenge for the Chinese government and all sectors of society. This study attempts to verify the relationship between overage labor and happiness in life, and further explore the possible mediating role of multidimensional value perceptions.

Method

Based on 5010 valid samples from the 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018 China Health and Aging Tracking Survey datasets (CHARLS), the study explored and tested the differences in happiness in life between older adults with overage labor and retired older adults. In addition, this study further examined the mediating role of multidimensional value perceptions using a mediation model.

Results

(1) Urban older adults with overage labor had significantly higher levels of happiness in life compared to urban retired older adults. (2) The higher level of life happiness of urban older adults with overage labor depends on their perceptions of different values; (3) Specifically, the realization of value perceptions in personal, family and social dimensions through labor contributes to the life happiness of urban older adults with overage labor.

Conclusion

There is a significant difference between urban old adults with overage labor and urban retired old adults in terms of happiness in life. At the same time, the study confirmed that all three aspects of value perceptions, such as personal, family and social, are the mediating mechanisms between overage labor and urban old adults in terms of happiness in life.

Employment and Mental Health of the Chinese Elderly: Evidence from CHARLS 2018

Improving the mental health of the elderly has become an important strategic goal of healthy aging, among which employment is regarded as an essential factor for the mental health of the elderly. This study adopted ordinary least squares, ordered logit, propensity score matching (PSM), and KHB mediation analysis to examine the influence and mechanism of employment on mental health in older Chinese adults using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey of 2018. The study found that employment positively impacts older adults' mental health in China. This promotive effect of employment was significant for more senior people aged up to 80 years old with lower educational backgrounds and rural household registration. In addition, individual annual income, the financial support provided to children, and support received from children significantly mediate the realization of employment improving older people's mental health. Our findings are expected to provide valuable insight into delayed retirement and active aging in China. Therefore, the government must play the role of support and advocacy to promote employment and safeguard the well-being of older adults.

Spotlight on the Challenges of Depression following Retirement and Opportunities for Interventions

As a major life transition characterized by changes in social, behavioral, and psychological domains, retirement is associated with numerous risk factors that can contribute to the development of depression in later life. Understanding how these risk factors intersect with overall health and functioning can inform opportunities for mental health promotion during this transition. The objective of this review is to summarize the literature on risk and protective factors for depression during retirement transitions, discuss challenges related to appropriate management of depression in later life, and describe opportunities for prevention and intervention for depression relating to retirement transitions, both within and beyond the health care system. Key implications from this review are that 1) the relationship between depression and retirement is multifaceted; 2) while depression is a common health condition among older adults, this syndrome should not be considered a normative part of aging or of retirement specifically; 3) the existing mental health specialty workforce is insufficient to meet the depression management needs of the aging population, and 4) therefore, there is a need for interprofessional and multidisciplinary intervention efforts for preventing and managing depression among older adults. In sum, both healthcare providers, public health practitioners, and community organizations have meaningful opportunities for promoting the mental health of older adults during such major life transitions.

Social connectedness and self-perceived health of older adults in New Zealand

The objective of this research was to explore social connectedness and associations with self-perceived health amongst older adults in New Zealand at a population level. The data for this analysis were derived from the 2016 Health and Lifestyle Survey, a nationally representative survey administered via face-to-face interviews. The findings from this analysis of 1,374 respondents, all of whom were over the age of 55 years, highlight that being female, belonging to older age groups (above 70 years), being employed full-time or part-time, connecting online with known people, considering cultural connections to be important and not feeling isolated from others are significantly and positively associated with positive self-perceived health. The findings underscore the resilience potential of older adults and importance of social connectedness for positive health and well-being. In addition, the findings reveal target areas that would benefit by intervention and support by health professionals and policy makers.

Longitudinal associations between formal volunteering and well-being among retired older people: follow-up results from a randomized controlled trial

Volunteering has been identified as a potential mechanism for improving the psychosocial health of older adults. Utilizing a randomized controlled trial approach, the present study assessed the extent to which commencing volunteering can improve psychosocial health outcomes for older people. Fully retired Australian adults aged 60+ years (N= 445) were assessed at baseline and allocated to either the intervention or control arms of the trial. Those in the intervention condition were asked to participate in at least 60 min of formal volunteering per week for 6 months. Per-protocol analyses were conducted comparing psychosocial outcomes for those who complied with the intervention condition (n= 73) to outcomes for those who complied with the control condition (n= 112). Those who complied with the intervention condition demonstrated significant improvements in life satisfaction, purpose in life, and personal growth scores over a 12-month period relative to those in the control condition who did no volunteering. Findings provide evidence of a causal relationship between commencing volunteering and improvements in psychosocial health among older adults and indicate that encouraging participation in this activity could constitute an effective healthy aging intervention.

Does retirement trigger depressive symptoms? A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

Retirement is a major life transition that may improve or worsen mental health, including depression. Existing studies provide contradictory results. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis to quantitatively pool available evidence on the association of retirement and depressive symptoms.

METHODS

We applied PRISMA guidelines to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to retrieve, quantitatively pool and critically evaluate the association between retirement and both incident and prevalent depression and to understand better the potential role of individual and contextual-level determinants. Relevant original studies were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library, through 4 March 2021. Subgroup and sensitivity meta-analyses were conducted by gender, study design (longitudinal v. cross-sectional studies), study quality score (QS) and considering studies using validated scales to diagnose depression. Heterogeneity between studies was evaluated with I2 statistics.

RESULTS

Forty-one original studies met our a priori defined inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis on more than half a million subjects (n = 557 111) from 60 datasets suggested a protective effect of retirement on the risk of depression [effect size (ES) = 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.74-0.93], although with high statistical heterogeneity between risk estimates (χ2 = 895.19, df = 59, I2 = 93.41%, p-value < 0.0001). Funnel plot asymmetry and trim and fill method suggested a minor potential publication bias. Results were consistent, confirm their robustness and suggest stronger protective effects when progressively restricting the included studies based on quality criteria: (i) studies with the highest QS [55 datasets, 407 086 subjects, ES = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.71-0.91], (ii) studies with a high QS and using validated assessment tools to diagnose depression (44 datasets, 239 453 subjects, ES = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.65-0.88) and (iii) studies of high quality, using a validated tool and with a longitudinal design (24 datasets, 162 004 subjects, ES = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.64-0.90). We observed a progressive reduction in funnel plot asymmetry. About gender, no statistically significant difference was found (females ES = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.61-1.02 v. men ES = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.68-1.11).

CONCLUSIONS

Pooled data suggested that retirement reduces by nearly 20% the risk of depression; such estimates got stronger when limiting the analysis to longitudinal and high-quality studies, even if results are affected by high heterogeneity.As retirement seems to have an independent and protective effect on mental health and depressive symptoms, greater flexibility in retirement timing should be granted to older workers to reduce their mental burden and avoid the development of severe depression. Retirement may also be identified as a target moment for preventive interventions, particularly primary and secondary prevention, to promote health and wellbeing in older ages, boosting the observed impact.

Older Adult Employment Status and Well-Being: A Longitudinal Bidirectional Analysis

Mixed findings in the literature on the effects of older adult employment on well-being and the reciprocal influence of well-being on employment suggest the need for more careful methodology in teasing out this relationship. Moreover, as previous research has shown that different domains of well-being relate to constructs differently, more nuanced definitions of well-being may be appropriate. The present study examined the longitudinal bidirectional associations of employment and different domains of well-being, controlling for stable within-person variables. The present study sampled older adults from the Midlife Development in the US study at three timepoints on employment status and well-being, specifically psychological, social, and subjective well-being. A Random-Intercept Cross-lagged Panel Model (RI-CLPM) approach was employed to determine the longitudinal bidirectional influence of employment and domains of well-being. Results showed that employment status was not associated with various well-being domains at a later time point. Results also showed that greater well-being, specifically in meaningfulness of society and personal growth, was associated with being employed at a later time point.

Aging at Work: A Review of Recent Trends and Future Directions

Demographic data suggest a rapid aging trend in the active workforce. The concept of aging at work comes from the urgent requirement to help the aging workforce of the contemporary industries to maintain productivity while achieving a work and private life balance. While there is plenty of research focusing on the aging population, current research activities on policies covering the concept of aging at work are limited and conceptually different. This paper aims to review publications on aging at work, which could lead to the creation of a framework that targets governmental decision-makers, the non-governmental sector, the private sector, and all of those who are responsible for the formulation of policies on aging at work. In August 2019 we searched for peer-reviewed articles in English that were indexed in PubMed, IEEE Xplore, and Springer and published between 2008 and 2019. The keywords included the following phrases: “successful aging at work”, “active aging at work”, “healthy aging at work”, “productive aging at work”, and “older adults at work”. A total of 47,330 publications were found through database searching, and 25,187 publications were screened. Afterwards, 7756 screened publications were excluded from the further analysis, and a total of 17,431 article abstracts were evaluated for inclusion. Finally, further qualitative analysis included 1375 articles, of which about 24 are discussed in this article. The most prominent works suggest policies that encourage life-long learning, and a workforce that comprises both younger and older workers, as well as gradual retirement.

Gender differences and individual, household, and workplace characteristics: Regional geographies of extended working lives

Increasing labour market participation among older workers is embedded in government policy in the United Kingdom and many other industrialised countries with rises in the state pension age in response to increasing life expectancy. Despite this, many workers stop working before state pension age with around a 20% reduction in the proportion of adults in work between ages 50 and 60 in 2011 in England and Wales. This paper considers the risk of remaining in work by region and gender between 2001 and 2011 for adults aged 40-49 in 2001. Men had significantly higher risk of extended working in the East Midlands (1.4×) East of England (1.5×), South East (1.6×), and South West (1.6×) compared with the North East. Women in all regions apart from London and Wales had significantly higher risk of extended working compared with the North East: ranging from 1.15 times in the North West and West Midlands to 1.6 times in the South West. Adjustment for nonemployment-related socio-economic status, housing tenure, qualifications, and car ownership, and employment status in 2001 attenuated all significant regional differences in extended working in men and in women in most regions. Workplace characteristics attenuated most of the remaining regional differences in women: women working in larger employers in 2001 or working at distances of 200 km or more, abroad or from home, had lower risk of remaining in work, whereas access to a car and higher working hours increased risk. Policies to increase qualifications and skills among older adults are recommended.

Local area unemployment, individual health and workforce exit: ONS Longitudinal Study

Background: In many developed countries, associations have been documented between higher levels of area unemployment and workforce exit, mainly for disability pension receipt. Health of individuals is assumed to be the primary driver of this relationship, but no study has examined whether health explains or modifies this relationship. Methods: We used data from 98 756 Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study members who were aged 40–69 and working in 2001, to assess whether their odds of identifying as sick/disabled or retired in 2011 differed by local authority area unemployment in 2001, change in local area unemployment from 2001 to 2011 and individual reported health in 2001 (self-rated and limiting long-term illness). Results: Higher local area unemployment and worse self-rated health measures in 2001 were independently related to likelihood of identifying as sick-disabled or retired, compared to being in work, 10 years later, after adjusting for socio-demographic covariates. Associations for local area unemployment were stronger for likelihood of identification as sick/disabled compared to retired in 2011. Associations for changes in local area unemployment from 2001 to 2011 were only apparent for likelihood of identifying as retired. For respondents that identified as sick/disabled in 2011, effects of local area unemployment in 2001 were stronger for respondents who had better self-rated health in 2001. Conclusions: Strategies to retain older workers may be most effective if targeted toward areas of high unemployment. For persons in ill health, local area unemployment interventions alone will not be as efficient in reducing their exit from the workforce.

Research protocol for a randomized controlled trial of the health effects of volunteering for seniors

Abstract

Background

A growing evidence base demonstrates that interventions that focus on participation in physical and social activities can assist in preventing and treating both physical and mental health problems. In addition, there is some evidence that engaging in volunteering activities can provide beneficial social, physical, psychological, and cognitive outcomes for older people. This study will use a randomized controlled trial approach to investigate the potential for interventions involving volunteer activities to produce positive physical and psychological outcomes for older people, thereby contributing to the limited evidence relating to the potential for volunteering to provide multiple health effects.

Methods/Design

This randomized controlled trial will involve 400 retired/non-employed individuals in good health aged 60+ years living in the metropolitan area in Perth, Western Australia. Participants will be recruited from the Perth metropolitan area using a variety of recruitment methods to achieve a diverse sample in terms of age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Consenting and eligible participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 200) or control group (n = 200). Those in the intervention group will be asked to engage in a minimum 60 min of volunteer activities per week for a period of 6 months, while those in the control group will be asked to maintain their existing lifestyle or take on new activities as they see fit. Physical and psychological outcomes will be assessed. Primary physical outcomes will include physical activity and sedentary time (measured using pedometers and Actigraph monitors) and physical health (measured using a battery of physical functioning tests, resting heart rate, blood pressure, BMI, and girth). Primary psychological outcomes will include psychological well-being, depression, self-esteem, and quality of life (measured using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Survey, and the Global Quality of Life Scale, respectively). Secondary outcomes of interest will include attitudes to volunteering (measured via open-ended interviews) and personal growth, purpose in life, social support, and self-efficacy (measured using the Personal Growth and Purpose in Life subscales of Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale, the Social Provisions Scale, and the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, respectively). Participants will be re-assessed on these measures after 6 months.

Discussion

The results of this randomized controlled trial will generate new knowledge relating to the physical and psychological health benefits of different levels and types of volunteering for older people. In addition, insight will be provided into the major factors influencing the recruitment and retention of older volunteers. Understanding the full potential for volunteering to affect physical and mental well-being will provide policy makers with the evidence they require to determine appropriate investment in the volunteering sector, especially in relation to encouraging volunteering among older people who constitute an important resource for the community.

Trial registration

Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615000091505. Date registered: 3 February, 2015.

Ageing, cognitive disorders and professional practice

BACKGROUND

the workforce is ageing. The contribution of older workers is considerable. Their occupational health profiles differ from those of younger workers.

OBJECTIVE

we wished to establish whether consideration has been given by regulatory and professional bodies of the impact of ageing-related conditions such as dementia on professional practice.

METHODS

We e-mailed a questionnaire to 22 regulatory and professional bodies in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. We asked whether there are supports for their practitioners should they develop age-related diseases, (particularly cognitive disorders),whether the body considered that the practitioner was responsible for their own health, and whether the body has resources to arrange for medical review for their professionals if concerns arose regarding competence. Where bodies did not respond, information relating to the questions was extracted from their on-line resources.

RESULTS

thirteen bodies responded. None of these had specific supports to assist older workers. Some knew of other supports (occupational health, employee assistance supports, benevolent funds or counselling services). All of the bodies who responded either have or are developing structures to deal with concerns regarding their practitioners.

CONCLUSION

The absence of specific policies for age-related diseases, (particularly dementia), among professional and regulatory bodies is a challenge for an ageing workforce in the liberal professions. Closer working between geriatric medicine, old age psychiatry, occupational health and professional bodies is recommended to develop age-attuned policies and systems which protect the public while supporting the professionals in both work and timely transition from work.