Can America Avert a Geriatric Healthcare
Crisis?
Around Town: Happenings of Note
Senior Health: Teff Is a Humble Grain With Healthy Benefits
Senior Thoughts: Hanging Up Is Easier Way to End Ceaseless, Unsolicited Calls
Klockwork: Ignorance and Apathy Are Not American Rights
Ted Ruhig: How Will Medicare Costs Ever Be Fiscally Controlled? Sacramento Is a Good Example
Dutch Treat: Take a Closer Look at Those Cornflakes
America’s Future Economic Vitality Depends on Older Workers
By
Michael A. Piekarz
Staff Writer
A
new policy brief by the Boston College Center on Aging and Work in
conjunction with AARP states that the key to America’s future
economic vitality depends largely on workers over the age of 50 and
called on policymakers to take the steps necessary to capitalize
on the changing demographics reflected in the aging of the boomer
generation.
The policy brief, “21st Century Age Demographics: Opportunities for Visionary
State Leadership,” provides information that assists state leaders nationwide
in an effort to examine the connection between aging and work and shows how changes
in the labor force and the participation of older adults will affect their states.
The brief also outlines options for leaders to ready their respective states
for the aging of the workforce.
“State leaders must play an active role in developing policy and initiatives
to capture the value of 50-plus workers,” says Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes,
co-director of the Center on Aging & Work at Boston College.
“Most of the attention paid to the aging of the workforce has focused on
national trends. However, the thought leadership for economic and workforce development
occurs at the state level.”
It’s common knowledge that the United States is a rapidly-aging society.
The number of Californian seniors is expected to nearly double by 2030, and California
is projected to have more seniors than any other state. Simultaneously, the pool
of younger workers will diminish due to a lower birthrate ratio.
California and several other states have already demonstrated an effort to encourage
the retention of older workers, but the policy brief highlighted other ways state
leaders can do more to advance public sector innovation and increase employment
options for 50-plus workers.
Specific steps listed in the brief include raising awareness, encouraging business
leaders to respond, expanding resources and providing benchmarks to chart progress.
A decisive and committed action is most needed in the employment sectors likely
to be hardest hit by an aging workforce, say analysts. Specifically targeted
were those companies that encourage long-term service, those that have had relatively
little hiring in recent years and those which experienced major downsizing in
the 1980s and 1990s.
Industry examples include healthcare, defense and aerospace, education and government.
“Connect the dots, and the conclusion is clear - employers must focus on
recruiting, training and retraining the 50-plus worker if they are to meet their
workforce needs in the years to come … and the state must lead the way,” commented
Deborah Banda, state director of AARP Massachusetts.
“The decisions 50-plus workers make about employment versus retirement
could have significant financial implications for the state,” Banda continued.
“Those who continue working may require fewer state benefits and resources,
particularly if they have access to employer-sponsored programs and services.”
Banda also noted that states failing to address the issue of retaining older
workers run the risk of losing those workers to competing states.
The Boston College policy brief coincides with a report done by a federal Taskforce
on the Aging of the American Workforce. The Taskforce was created in 2006 as
part of an effort to expand opportunities for older Americans choosing to remain
in the workforce and to develop proposals to address the challenges and opportunities
of an aging workforce.
The Taskforce report included identifying strategies to enhance the ability of
older Americans to remain in or re-enter the labor market and pursue self-employment
opportunities. It also provided methods which enable businesses to take full
advantage of this skilled labor pool.
The Taskforce report led Senator Herb Kohl, D-Wis., chairman of the Senate Special
Committee on Aging to comment: “What we really need to focus on is creating
innovative workplace practices and providing attractive employer benefits to
facilitate the hiring and retention of older workers.”
This page and its contents ©2008
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
