20 CFR 664.460 - What are work experiences for youth?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

....460 What are work experiences for youth? (a) Work experiences are planned, structured learning... adjustment, and other transition activities; (7) Entrepreneurship; (8) Service learning; (9) Paid and unpaid... age 18. Local program operators may choose, however, to use this service strategy for eligible youth...

20 CFR 664.460 - What are work experiences for youth?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

....460 What are work experiences for youth? (a) Work experiences are planned, structured learning... adjustment, and other transition activities; (7) Entrepreneurship; (8) Service learning; (9) Paid and unpaid... age 18. Local program operators may choose, however, to use this service strategy for eligible youth...

Positive effect of social work-related values on work outcomes: the moderating role of age and work situation.

PubMed

Yeung, Dannii Y; Fung, Helene H; Chan, Darius K-S

2015-03-01

This study investigated the effect of social work-related values on job performance through job satisfaction and tested whether age and work situation would moderate such associations. This study consists of two parts: Part 1 is a cross-sectional survey among 299 Chinese clerical employees aged 19-60 years and Part 2 is a 14-day experience sampling study in a subsample of Part 1 (N = 67). Part 1 revealed that age moderated the effect of social work-related values on job performance through job satisfaction, with a stronger positive effect in older workers than in younger workers. Part 2 demonstrated that the moderating effect of age shown in Part 1 also varied across work situations. In particular, holding momentary social work-related values was beneficial to the task performance of older workers, and the effect was significantly stronger when they were in social situations than in nonsocial situations, whereas the effect remained weak among younger workers regardless of work context. Moreover, the moderating effect of age could be accounted for by future time perspective. This study supports socioemotional selectivity theory that goal orientation shifts toward the emphasis of interpersonal closeness when one perceives future time as increasingly limited. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Working memory, control of interference and everyday experience of thought interference: when age makes the difference.

PubMed

Borella, Erika; Carretti, Barbara; Cornoldi, Cesare; De Beni, Rossana

2007-06-01

A number of studies suggest that age differences in working memory may be attributed to age-related differences in inhibitory efficacy. Nevertheless, little is known about the impact of intrusive thoughts, which occurs in everyday situations on working memory performance. This study investigates the role of cognitive and everyday inhibition mechanisms in working memory performance. Young, young-old and old-old adults performed a working memory task and the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI). Results showed a decrease in working memory, and in inhibitory efficacy with age. In addition, old-old adults obtained higher scores in the three factors of the WBSI. Working memory performance was related to working memory control of interfering information in all age groups, and also to the tendency to suppress thoughts in old-old adults. The latter result was in the opposite direction with respect to observations collected with younger adults. Taken together, our results suggest the crucial role of intrusive thoughts in the functional capacity of working memory in late adulthood.

Alternative Work Experience Programs. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karnes, M. Ray

A study was conducted in six south central Mississippi counties (1) to determine the incidence of part-time employment of in-school youth by age, grade, sex, and race; (2) to determine types of part-time jobs held by youths while in public school and their available work experience alternatives; (3) to obtain employed youth and their parents'…

Family Transmission of Work Affectivity and Experiences to Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porfeli, Erik J.; Wang, Chuang; Hartung, Paul J.

2008-01-01

Theory and research suggest that children develop orientations toward work appreciably influenced by their family members' own expressed work experiences and emotions. Cross-sectional data from 100 children (53 girls, 47 boys; mean age = 11.1 years) and structural equation modeling were used to assess measures of work affectivity and experiences…

Neurobehavioral performance and work experience in Florida farmworkers.

PubMed

Kamel, Freya; Rowland, Andrew S; Park, Lawrence P; Anger, W Kent; Baird, Donna D; Gladen, Beth C; Moreno, Tirso; Stallone, Lillian; Sandler, Dale P

2003-11-01

Farmworkers experience many work-related hazards, including exposure to neurotoxicants. We compared neurobehavioral performance of 288 farmworkers in central Florida who had done farm work for at least 1 month with 51 controls who had not. Most of the farmworkers had worked in one or more of three types of agriculture: ornamental ferns, nurseries, or citrus fruit. We collected information on farm work history in a structured interview and evaluated neurobehavioral performance using a battery of eight tests. Analyses were adjusted for established confounders including age, sex, education, and acculturation. Ever having done farm work was associated with poor performance on four tests--digit span [odds ratio (OR) = 1.90; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-3.53], tapping (coefficient = 4.13; 95% CI, 0.00-8.27), Santa Ana test (coefficient = 1.34; 95% CI, 0.29-2.39), and postural sway (coefficient = 4.74; 95% CI, -2.20 to 11.7)--but had little effect on four others: symbol digit latency, vibrotactile threshold, visual contrast sensitivity, and grip strength. Associations with farm work were similar in magnitude to associations with personal characteristics such as age and sex. Longer duration of farm work was associated with worse performance. Associations with fern work were more consistent than associations with nursery or citrus work. Deficits related to the duration of work experience were seen in former as well as current farmworkers, and decreased performance was related to chronic exposure even in the absence of a history of pesticide poisoning. We conclude that long-term experience of farm work is associated with measurable deficits in cognitive and psychomotor function.

Understanding Work Experiences of People with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

PubMed

Restall, Gayle J; Simms, Alexandria M; Walker, John R; Graff, Lesley A; Sexton, Kathryn A; Rogala, Linda; Miller, Norine; Haviva, Clove; Targownik, Laura E; Bernstein, Charles N

2016-07-01

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk for unemployment and work absenteeism over the course of their adult lives. However, little is known about the firsthand experiences of people living with the disease regarding perceived barriers, facilitators, and strategies for navigating work roles. In this qualitative study, participants were purposefully recruited from 2 existing IBD cohort study samples. Recruitment strategies aimed for diversity in age, sex, and disease type, duration, and symptom activity. In-depth interviews sought perspectives of living with IBD. Data were analyzed using inductive qualitative methods. Forty-five people currently or previously in the workforce participated; 51% were female. The mean age was 45.4 years (SD = 16.1; range = 21-73 years). Mean IBD duration was 10.9 years (SD = 6.3). Participants had a broad range of experiences in adapting to work roles. IBD symptoms and treatments interacted with other personal and environmental factors to shape the experiences of work. Experiences were shaped by: (1) personal health and well-being, (2) personal values, beliefs, and knowledge, (3) job characteristics, (4) workplace physical environment, (5) workplace culture, and (6) financial factors. Participants identified personal strategies and environmental supports that assisted them to navigate their work roles. The perspectives of people with IBD provided in-depth understanding of contextual factors that influence work roles. They identified personal strategies to manage health and choices about work, environmental supports that promote timely workplace accommodations, and appropriate social insurance benefits as facilitators of work retention for people with IBD.

Social Cognitive Career Theory, the Theory of Work Adjustment, and Work Satisfaction of Retirement-Age Adults

PubMed Central

Foley, Pamela F.; Lytle, Megan C.

2015-01-01

Despite a recent increase in the number of adults who work past traditional retirement age, existing theories of vocational behavior have not yet received adequate empirical support. In a large sample of adults age 60–87, we evaluated the relationship between theorized predictors of work satisfaction proposed by Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), work satisfaction as a predictor of continued work, as proposed by the Theory of Work adjustment (TWA), as well as the influence of reported experiences of discrimination on these relationships. While the results supported most of the predicted relationships, the effects of discrimination were stronger than the variables proposed by either SCCT or TWA for the present sample. PMID:26101456

Engagement in patterns of daily occupations and perceived health among women of working age.

PubMed

Håkansson, Carita; Lissner, Lauren; Björkelund, Cecilia; Sonn, Ulla

2009-05-01

The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to examine how subjective experiences of engagement in patterns of daily occupations (gainful employment, domestic work, enjoyable and recreational occupations) were associated with perceived health among women of working age. The sample (n=488) was drawn from a longitudinal cohort study of women of working age in Gothenburg, Sweden. Participants were women 38 (n=202) and 50 (n=286) years of age. They completed a questionnaire including questions about occupational experiences in relation to their patterns of daily occupations, perceived health, and socioeconomic factors. The results of the present study showed that a combination of different experience dimensions of patterns of daily occupations was associated with perceived health among women of working age, even when adjusted for socioeconomic factors and age. The results provided occupational pattern-related health indicators, i.e. manageability, personally meaningful occupations, and occupational balance. To combine these health indicators can be a way for occupational therapists to enable women to develop strategies to promote health and to prevent stress and sick leave.

Shift work and cognitive aging: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Bokenberger, Kathleen; Ström, Peter; Dahl Aslan, Anna K; Åkerstedt, Torbjörn; Pedersen, Nancy L

2017-09-01

Objectives The few studies of shift work and late life cognitive functioning have yielded mixed findings. The aim of the present study is to estimate the association between shift-work experience and change in cognitive performance before and after retirement age among older adults who were gainfully employed. Methods Five hundred and ninety five participants with no dementia were followed up for a mean of 17.6 standard deviation (SD) 8.8 years from a Swedish population-based sample. Participants had self-reported information on any type of shift-work experience (ever/never) in 1984 and measures of cognitive performance (verbal, spatial, memory, processing speed, and general cognitive ability) from up to 9 waves of cognitive assessments during 1986-2012. Night work history (ever/never) from 1998-2002 was available from a subsample (N=320). Early adult cognitive test scores were available for 77 men. Results In latent growth curve modeling, there were no main effects of "any-type" or night shift work on the mean scores or rate of change in any of the cognitive domains. An interaction effect between any-type shift work and education on cognitive performance at retirement was noted. Lower-educated shift workers performed better on cognitive tests than lower-educated day workers at retirement. Sensitivity analyses, however, indicated that the interactions appeared to be driven by selection effects. Lower-educated day workers demonstrated poorer cognitive ability in early adulthood than lower-educated shift workers, who may have selected jobs entailing higher cognitive demand. Conclusion There was no difference in late-life cognitive aging between individuals with a history of working shifts compared to those who had typical day work schedules during midlife.

Ageing, musculoskeletal health and work

PubMed Central

Palmer, Keith; Goodson, Nicola

2016-01-01

Changing demographics mean that many patients with soft tissue rheumatism, osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, large joint prostheses, and age-related co-morbidities are seeking to work beyond the traditional retirement age. In this chapter we review the evidence on musculoskeletal health and work at older ages. We conclude that musculoskeletal problems are common in older workers and have a substantial impact on their work capacity. Factors that influence their job retention are described, together with approaches that may extend working life. Many gaps in evidence were found, notably on the health risks and benefits of continued work in affected patients and on which interventions work best. The roles of physicians and managers are also considered. PMID:26612237

Graduate Social Work Education and Cognitive Complexity: Does Prior Experience Really Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Chris

2014-01-01

This study examined the extent to which age, education, and practice experience among social work graduate students (N = 184) predicted cognitive complexity, an essential aspect of critical thinking. In the regression analysis, education accounted for more of the variance associated with cognitive complexity than age and practice experience. When…

20 CFR 410.426 - Determining total disability: Age, education, and work experience criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV-BLACK LUNG BENEFITS (1969- ) Total Disability or Death Due to Pneumoconiosis § 410.426 Determining total disability: Age, education, and work...

Working Memory and Aging: Separating the Effects of Content and Context

PubMed Central

Bopp, Kara L.; Verhaeghen, Paul

2009-01-01

In three experiments, we investigated the hypothesis that age-related differences in working memory might be due to the inability to bind content with context. Participants were required to find a repeating stimulus within a single series (no context memory required) or within multiple series (necessitating memory for context). Response time and accuracy were examined in two task domains: verbal and visuospatial. Binding content with context led to longer processing time and poorer accuracy in both age groups, even when working memory load was held constant. Although older adults were overall slower and less accurate than younger adults, the need for context memory did not differentially affect their performance. It is therefore unlikely that age differences in working memory are due to specific age-related problems with content-with-context binding. PMID:20025410

[PSYCHO PHYSIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF ACCELERATED AGING AMONG THOSE WORKING WITH OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS].

PubMed

Bashkireva, A S; Kachan, Ye Yu; Kulapina, M E

2015-01-01

We assessed the significance of psycho physiological markers of accelerated aging of the function of attention using comparative analysis of two occupational groups in order to reveal how the working process affects mental work capacity. We revealed peculiarities of systemic structure of functions which determine mental work capacity depending on the age and length of service in lorry drivers. It was proved that decrease in the mnestic functions of lorry-drivers takes place 10-15 years earlier compared to the control group. Psycho physiological indices, reflecting the functioning of attention, decreased not only with aging but also with longer driving experience. Our results show that it is necessary to conduct further studies of psycho physiological markers of age-related decrease in short-term memory depending on the activities at work in order to prevent accelerated aging and achieve professional longevity.

Gender and Ageing at Work in Chile: Employment, Working Conditions, Work-Life Balance and Health of Men and Women in an Ageing Workforce.

PubMed

Vives, Alejandra; Gray, Nora; González, Francisca; Molina, Agustín

2018-04-18

In Chile, working after retirement age has grown substantially over the last years. This, in addition to the country's current discussion about extending retirement age, motivates the need of generating evidence on the occupational health and safety of the working old, with a special focus on women, who are critically disadvantaged in Chile's labour market. The objective of this paper is to describe and compare the ageing workforce of women and men in Chile in terms of labour market participation, employment and working conditions, work-life balance, and health. The social determinants of health and employment sustainability frameworks guide this study. Cross-sectional data from three publicly available sources: the Chilean Labour Force Survey, NENE (2010); the first Chilean Employment and working conditions survey, ENETS (2009-2010) and the second National Health Survey, ENS (2009). Participation rates and employment conditions (NENE and ENETS), working conditions, occupational health and work-life balance (ENETS) and chronic health conditions (ENS) were described by 5-year age groups separately for women and men. Descriptions cover all age groups in order to identify trends and patterns characteristic of older workers. Rates of occupation decrease sharply after age 54 in women and 59 in men. Ageing women and men who continue to work are more likely to be in own-account (self-employed) work than younger workers; in the case of women, in households as domestic workers, and men, in agriculture. Social protection and workplace rights are markedly reduced in older workers. Part-time work increases from the age of 50 onwards, especially among women, but average working hours do not decrease under 30 h a week for either women or men. Interestingly, between ages 60 and 64, there is a peak increase of day and night shift-work among women, which co-occurs with a peak in domestic work, possibly corresponding to women working as caretakers of elderly people. Several

Working-age adults with diabetes experience greater susceptibility to seasonal influenza: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Lau, Darren; Eurich, Dean T; Majumdar, Sumit R; Katz, Alan; Johnson, Jeffrey A

2014-04-01

The aim of this work was to compare the incidence of illness attributable to influenza in working-age adults (age <65 years) with and without diabetes. We performed a cohort study using administrative data from Manitoba, Canada, between 2000 and 2008. All working-age adults with diabetes were identified and matched with up to two non-diabetic controls. We analysed the rates of influenza-like illness physician visits and hospitalisations, pneumonia and influenza hospitalisations, and all-cause hospitalisations. Multivariable regressions were used to estimate the influenza-attributable rate of each outcome. We included 745,777 person-years of follow-up among 166,715 subjects. The median age was 50-51 years and 48-49% were women; adults with diabetes had more comorbidities and were more likely to be vaccinated for influenza than those without diabetes. Compared with similar adults without diabetes, those with diabetes had a 6% greater (RR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02, 1.10; absolute risk difference 6 per 1,000 adults per year) increase in all-cause hospitalisations associated with influenza, representing a total of 54 additional hospitalisations. There were no differences in the influenza-attributable rates of influenza-like illness (p = 0.06) or pneumonia and influenza (p = 0.11). Guidelines calling for influenza vaccinations in diabetic, in addition to elderly, adults implicitly single out working-age adults with diabetes. The evidence supporting such guidelines has hitherto been scant. We found that working-age adults with diabetes appear more susceptible to serious influenza-attributable illness. These findings represent the strongest available evidence for targeting diabetes as an indication for influenza vaccination, irrespective of age.

Working memory plasticity and aging.

PubMed

Rhodes, Rebecca E; Katz, Benjamin

2017-02-01

The present research explores how the trajectory of learning on a working memory task changes throughout the life span, and whether gains in working memory performance are exclusively a question of initial working memory capacity (WMC) or whether age exerts an independent effect. In a large, cross-sectional study of younger, middle-aged, and older adults, we examined learning on a widely used working memory task-the dual n-back task-over 20 sessions of practice. We found that, while all age groups improved on the task, older adults demonstrated less improvement on the task, and also reached a lower asymptotic maximum performance than younger adults. After controlling for initial WMC, we found that age exerted independent effects on training gains and asymptotic performance; older adults tended to improve less and reached lower levels of performance than younger adults. The difference between younger and older adults' rates of learning depended in part on initial WMC. These results suggest that age-related effects on working memory include not only effects on capacity, but also plasticity and the ability to improve on a task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Outside of the laboratory: Associations of working-memory performance with psychological and physiological arousal vary with age.

PubMed

Riediger, Michaela; Wrzus, Cornelia; Klipker, Kathrin; Müller, Viktor; Schmiedek, Florian; Wagner, Gert G

2014-03-01

We investigated age differences in associations among self-reported experiences of tense and energetic arousal, physiological activation indicated by heart rate, and working-memory performance in everyday life. The sample comprised 92 participants aged 14-83 years. Data were collected for 24 hr while participants pursued their normal daily routines. Participants wore an ambulatory biomonitoring system that recorded their cardiac and physical activity. Using mobile phones as assessment devices, they also provided an average of 7 assessments of their momentary experiences of tense arousal (feeling nervous) and energetic arousal (feeling wide-awake) and completed 2 trials of a well-practiced working-memory task. Experiences of higher energetic arousal were associated with higher heart rate in participants younger than 50 years of age but not in participants older than that, and energetic arousal was unrelated to within-person fluctuations in working-memory performance. Experiences of tense arousal were associated with higher heart rate independent of participants' age. Tense arousal and physiological activation were accompanied by momentary impairments in working-memory performance in middle-aged and older adults but not in younger individuals. Results suggest that psychological arousal experiences are associated with lower working-memory performance in middle-aged and older adults when they are accompanied by increased physiological activation and that the same is true for physiological activation deriving from other influences. Hence, age differences in cognitive performance may be exaggerated when the assessment situation itself elicits tense arousal or occurs in situations with higher physiological arousal arising from affective experiences, physical activity, or circadian rhythms. (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Impact of Previous Pharmacy Work Experience on Pharmacy School Academic Performance

PubMed Central

Mar, Ellena; T-L Tang, Terrill; Sasaki-Hill, Debra; Kuperberg, James R.; Knapp, Katherine

2010-01-01

Objectives To determine whether students' previous pharmacy-related work experience was associated with their pharmacy school performance (academic and clinical). Methods The following measures of student academic performance were examined: pharmacy grade point average (GPA), scores on cumulative high-stakes examinations, and advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) grades. The quantity and type of pharmacy-related work experience each student performed prior to matriculation was solicited through a student survey instrument. Survey responses were correlated with academic measures, and demographic-based stratified analyses were conducted. Results No significant difference in academic or clinical performance between those students with prior pharmacy experience and those without was identified. Subanalyses by work setting, position type, and substantial pharmacy work experience did not reveal any association with student performance. A relationship was found, however, between age and work experience, ie, older students tended to have more work experience than younger students. Conclusions Prior pharmacy work experience did not affect students' overall academic or clinical performance in pharmacy school. The lack of significant findings may have been due to the inherent practice limitations of nonpharmacist positions, changes in pharmacy education, and the limitations of survey responses. PMID:20498735

Menopause and work--the experience of middle-aged female teaching staff in an Egyptian governmental faculty of medicine.

PubMed

Hammam, Rehab A M; Abbas, Reem A; Hunter, Myra S

2012-03-01

There is a global trend of increasing numbers of older women in the workforce. However, limited information is available regarding the relationship between the menopause transition and work, especially in developing countries. The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between experience of the menopause transition and work and to examine the factors affecting how women cope, including the extent to which women disclosed their menopausal status. Using a cross-sectional single group design, 131 middle-aged female medical teaching staff working in Zagazig Faculty of Medicine completed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Participants, particularly those who were postmenopausal, reported high average scores on depressed mood, memory/concentration, sleep problems, vasomotor symptoms, and sexual behavior subscales of the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ). Women reported that poor working environment and work policies and conditions, functioning as sources of work stress, aggravated their menopausal symptoms. Disclosure of their menopausal status was uncommon; limited time and socio-cultural barriers were the most commonly reported reasons for non-disclosure. It could be concluded that the menopause transition is an important occupational health issue especially for women in developing countries. Implementing health promotion programs, improving working environment and work policies, and raising awareness of menopause are recommended to help women to cope with the menopause transition and to maintain well-being and productivity at work. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

29 CFR 570.36 - Work experience and career exploration program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... years of age who are enrolled in and employed pursuant to a school-supervised and school-administered... and 16 Years of Age (Child Labor Reg. 3) § 570.36 Work experience and career exploration program. (a... therefore is not deemed to be oppressive child labor. (b)(1) A school-supervised and school-administered...

29 CFR 570.36 - Work experience and career exploration program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... years of age who are enrolled in and employed pursuant to a school-supervised and school-administered... and 16 Years of Age (Child Labor Reg. 3) § 570.36 Work experience and career exploration program. (a... therefore is not deemed to be oppressive child labor. (b)(1) A school-supervised and school-administered...

29 CFR 570.36 - Work experience and career exploration program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... years of age who are enrolled in and employed pursuant to a school-supervised and school-administered... and 16 Years of Age (Child Labor Reg. 3) § 570.36 Work experience and career exploration program. (a... therefore is not deemed to be oppressive child labor. (b)(1) A school-supervised and school-administered...

Work ability of aging teachers in Bulgaria.

PubMed

Vangelova, Katya; Dimitrova, Irina; Tzenova, Bistra

2018-06-08

The work ability of aging teachers is of special interest because of high risk of stress. The aim of the study was to follow the work ability of aging teachers and compare it with that of aging non-teacher professionals. The study included 424 teachers of age ≤ 44 years old (N = 140) and ≥ 45 years old (N = 284), with about 10% male teachers in both age groups, matched by sex and age with non-teacher professionals. Work ability was assessed by means of the Work Ability Index (WAI). Chi2 tests and regression analyses were used for studying WAI scales ratings, diagnosed by physician diseases and WAI ratings. Our data shows comparatively high work ability for both age groups of teachers but WAI of aging teachers was significantly lower in comparison to their younger colleagues as well as aging non-teacher professionals. About 80% of aging groups reported diseases diagnosed by physicians. Cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and respiratory diseases were the most frequently reported by aging teachers, while teachers ≤ 44 years old reported respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological and sensory diseases. With aging significantly higher rates of arterial hypertension, diabetes, injury to hearing and mental disorders were reported by teachers as compared to aging non-teacher professionals. The rates of reported repeated infections of respiratory tracts were high in both age groups of teachers, especially in the group of aging teachers. The estimated work ability impairment due to the disease showed the significant effect of aging for teachers as well as the significant difference when comparing aging teachers and non-teacher professionals. Our data shows high work ability for both age groups of teachers but significantly lower for aging teachers accompanied with higher rates of psychosomatic diseases, including hearing impairment and respiratory diseases. Preservation of teacher health could contribute to maintenance of their work ability and retention in the labor market

[Ageing and work: technical standards].

PubMed

De Vito, G; Riva, M A; Meroni, R; Cesana, G C

2010-01-01

Over the last few years, studies on the relationship between ageing and work have attracted growing interest due to the increased probability among workers of developing major health problems as a consequence of ageing of the working population. Negative outcomes for health are possible when an age-related imbalance appears between physical workload and physical work capacity. Interventions based on workload reductions should help to keep workers on the job for as long as allowed by law. Reference masses by age and sex are suggested by the technical standards of the ISO 11228 series, which are also quoted by Italian law D.Lgs. 81/2008, and EN 1005 series, which recommend limits valid also for manual material handling, and pushing and pulling. Decreasing low back pain prevalence or recurrence, in an ageing population with high prevalence of back disorders, could be more effective than many other approaches to enhance workers' quality of life and consequently maintain and improve workers' performance.

Ageing, working hours and work ability.

PubMed

Costa, G; Sartori, S

2007-11-01

The current paper reports the main results of several studies carried out on Italian workers using the work ability index as a complementary tool for workers' periodical health surveillance. The work ability index shows a general decreasing trend over the years, but it changes differently according to working conditions and personal health status. In jobs with higher mental involvement and autonomy, but lower physical constraint, it remains quite constant and high over the years, while it significantly decreases with a steeper trend the higher the physical work load and the lower the job control are. Sex and working hours appear to act concurrently in influencing work ability, particularly in association with more physically demanding jobs. It is therefore necessary to adopt flexible interventions, able to give ageing shift workers a proper support for maintaining a satisfactory work ability, by means of actions addressed both to work organization and psycho-physical conditions.

Effects of RN Age and Experience on Transformational Leadership Practices.

PubMed

Herman, Susan; Gish, Mary; Rosenblum, Ruth; Herman, Michael

2017-06-01

This study reported the evolution of transformational leadership (TL) practices and behaviors across years of age, management experience, and professional nursing practice within a professional nursing leadership organization. Recent studies of CNO TL found valuations peak near age 60 years. This study reported on a wider range of management positions, correlating years of RN practice and management experience and age to TL metrics. This study used Kouzes and Posner's Leadership Practices Inventory-Self-Assessment (LPI-S) to survey a nursing leadership organization, the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL). Anonymous responses were analyzed to identify leadership trends in age and years of professional service. On average, LPI-S metrics of leadership skills advance through years of management, RN experience, and age. The TL scores are statistically higher in most LPI-S categories for those with more than 30 years of RN or management experience. Decade-averaged LPI-S TL metrics in the ACNL survey evolve linearly throughout age before peaking in the decade from age 60 to 69 years. A similar evolution of TL metrics is seen in decades of either years of management experience or years of RN experience. Transformational leadership increased with nursing maturity particularly for LPI-S categories of "inspire a shared vision," "challenge the process," and "enable others to act." In the ACNL population studied, decade-averaged leadership metrics advanced. Leadership evolution with age in the broader RN population peaked in age bracket 60 to 69 years. The LPI-S averages declined when older than 70 years, coinciding with a shift from full-time work toward retirement and part-time employment.

The experience of demanding work environments in younger workers.

PubMed

Winding, T N; Labriola, M; Nohr, E A; Andersen, J H

2015-06-01

Investigating whether certain individual or background characteristics are associated with an increased risk of experiencing an excessively demanding work environment in younger workers may help to reduce future inequality in health and maximize their labour market participation. To describe the work environment of Danish 20- to 21-year olds and to investigate the influence of family socioeconomic background and individual characteristics at age 14-15 on later experience of physical and psychosocial work environments. We obtained information on subjects' school performance, vulnerability, health and parental socioeconomic status from registers and a questionnaire completed in 2004. A questionnaire concerning eight measures of subjects' psychosocial and physical work environment in 2010 was used to determine the outcomes of interest. The study population consisted of 679 younger workers aged 20-21. The psychosocial work environment was in general good but younger workers experienced more demanding physical work than the general working population. Overall, individual as well as family factors had a limited impact on their assessment of the work environment. Low self-esteem at age 14-15 was associated with experiencing high demands and lack of trust and fairness at work, whereas low parental socioeconomic status was associated with a demanding physical work environment. This study showed a social gradient in experiencing a demanding physical work environment at age 20-21. The psychosocial work environment experienced by younger workers was generally good, but vulnerable young people may need special attention to protect them from or prepare them for psychosocially demanding jobs later in life. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Working in dissonance: experiences of work instability in workers with common mental disorders.

PubMed

Danielsson, Louise; Bertilsson, Monica; Holmgren, Kristina; Hensing, Gunnel

2017-05-18

Common mental disorders have a negative impact on work functioning, but less is known about the process when the functioning starts to destabilize. This study explores experiences of work instability in workers with common mental disorders. A grounded theory study using a theoretical sampling frame, individual in-depth interviews and a constant comparative analysis conducted by a multidisciplinary research team. The sample involved 27 workers with common mental disorders, currently working full or part time, or being on sick leave not more than 6 months. They were women and men of different ages, representing different occupations and illness severity. A general process of work instability was conceptualized by the core category Working in dissonance: captured in a bubble inside the work stream. The workers described that their ordinary fluency at work was disturbed. They distanced themselves from other people at and outside work, which helped them to regain their flow but simultaneously made them feel isolated. Four categories described sub-processes of the dissonance: Working out of rhythm, Working in discomfort, Working disconnected and Working in a no man's land. The experience of work instability in CMDs was conceptualized as "working in dissonance", suggesting a multifaceted dissonance at work, characterized by a sense of being caught up, as if in a bubble. Focusing on how the worker can re-enter their flow at work when experiencing dissonance is a new approach to explore in occupational and clinical settings.

Health, disability, and life insurance experiences of working-age persons with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Iezzoni, L I; Ngo, L

2007-05-01

Working-age Americans with multiple sclerosis (MS) may face considerable financial insecurities when they become unable to work and lack the health, disability, and life insurance typically offered through employers. In order to estimate the rates of having these insurance policies, as well as how insurance status affects reports of financial stress, we conducted half-hour telephone interviews with 983 working-age persons across the US, who reported being diagnosed with MS. The interviews occurred from May through November 2005, and among the sampled individuals contacted and confirmed eligible, 93.2% completed the interview. The study population was largely female (78.9%), Caucasian (86.4%), married (68.6%), with at least some college education (71.5%), and unemployed (60.2%). Overall, 96.3% had some health insurance (40.3% with public health insurance, primarily Medicare), 56.7% had long-term disability insurance (36.4% with public programs), and 68.3% had life insurance. Notably, 27.4% indicated that, since being diagnosed with MS, health insurance concerns had significantly affected employment decisions. In addition, 16.4% reported considerable difficulty paying for health care, 27.4% put off or postponed seeking needed health care because of costs, and 22.3% delayed filling prescriptions, skipped medication doses, or split pills because of costs. Overall, 26.6% reported considerable worries about affording even basic necessities, such as food, utilities, and housing.

Shift work, safety, and aging.

PubMed

Folkard, Simon

2008-04-01

It has long been recognized that older shift workers may have shorter and more disturbed day sleeps between successive night shifts than their younger colleagues. This has given rise to considerable concern over the safety of aging shift workers because of the increasing age of the work force and increases in retirement age. Because there have been no direct studies of the combined effects of shift work and age on safety, the present paper begins by reviewing the literature relating safety to features of shift systems. It then considers the general effect of age on occupational injury rates before examining existing evidence of the combined effects of shift work and age on performance capabilities. The results of the literature review indicate that when the a priori risk is constant, there is reasonably clear evidence that injury rates are higher at night, and that they increase over successive night shifts more rapidly than over successive day shifts. Further, although occupational injuries are less frequent in older workers, those that do occur tend to be more serious. Finally, there is some suggestive evidence from studies of objectively measured performance capabilities that older workers may be less able to both maintain their performance over the course of a night shift and cope with longer spans of successive night shifts. It is concluded that it seems possible, even though unproven as yet, that older workers may be at greater risk both to injury and accident on the night shift. There is a strong need for future epidemiological studies of the combined effects of shift work and age on injuries and accidents, and that these should attempt to separate the effects of age per se from those of generation.

Encountering aged care: a mixed methods investigation of medical students' clinical placement experiences.

PubMed

Annear, Michael J; Lea, Emma; Lo, Amanda; Tierney, Laura; Robinson, Andrew

2016-02-04

Residential aged care is an increasingly important health setting due to population ageing and the increase in age-related conditions, such as dementia. However, medical education has limited engagement with this fast-growing sector and undergraduate training remains primarily focussed on acute presentations in hospital settings. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the adequacy of dementia-related content in undergraduate medical curricula, while research has found mixed attitudes among students towards the care of older people. This study explores how medical students engage with the learning experiences accessible in clinical placements in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), particularly exposure to multiple comorbidity, cognitive impairment, and palliative care. Fifth-year medical students (N = 61) completed five-day clinical placements at two Australian aged care facilities in 2013 and 2014. The placements were supported by an iterative yet structured program and academic teaching staff to ensure appropriate educational experiences and oversight. Mixed methods data were collected before and after the clinical placement. Quantitative data included surveys of dementia knowledge and questions about attitudes to the aged care sector and working with older adults. Qualitative data were collected from focus group discussions concerning medical student expectations, learning opportunities, and challenges to engagement. Pre-placement surveys identified good dementia knowledge, but poor attitudes towards aged care and older adults. Negative placement experiences were associated with a struggle to discern case complexity and a perception of an aged care placement as an opportunity cost associated with reduced hospital training time. Irrespective of negative sentiment, post-placement survey data showed significant improvements in attitudes to working with older people and dementia knowledge. Positive student experiences were explained by in

Nurses aged over 50 and their perceptions of flexible working.

PubMed

Clendon, Jill; Walker, Léonie

2016-04-01

To explore the experiences and needs of older nurses in relation to flexible working and the barriers and facilitators to implementation within workplaces. An ageing nursing workforce and anticipated nursing workforce shortages require effective approaches to workforce retention. A mixed method approach (focus group and individual interviews) with nurses aged over 50 (n = 46) combined with analysis of district health board (DHB) flexible working policies. Participants had a good understanding of flexible working and recognised the importance of balancing their own needs with those of their organisation. Participants had legitimate reasons for making requests and became frustrated when turned down. They recommended job sharing, shorter shifts, no night shift and greater recognition of their work to improve retention. There was discrepancy between organisational policy (where this existed) and implementation. Organisations should review flexible working policies, ensuring these are understood and implemented at the unit level. Training of nurse managers is recommended. Nurse managers must recognise the individual needs of nurses, be cognisant of workplace policies regarding flexible working, ensure these are implemented consistently and make the effort to recognise the work of older nurses. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The evaluation and planning method of Spanish sport and physical activity instructors: A comparative study across gender, age, level of studies and work experience.

PubMed

Bernabé, Beatriz; González-Rivera, María Dolores; Campos-Izquierdo, Antonio

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the planning and the evaluation of Spanish sport and physical activity instructors as well as to analyze and compare the two variables in terms of their gender, age, level of studies and work experience. This research falls inside the quantitative type methodology of descriptive cut through standardized interview using the standardized questionnaire: "Human resources of sport and physical activity". It analyses the situation and performance of people working in functions of sport and physical activity. The questionnaire was completed by 600 sport and physical activity instructors from Spain. Key results revealed that 48.0% of them plan their classes and 58.17% assess. The study also found male university graduates between the ages of 60 and 70, with 10 years of experience or more spend the most time on planning and assessment. Daily classroom observation was the tool which physical activity and sport instructors used the most, followed by execution tests. The lesser used tools were theoretical knowledge exams, diaries and the personally created tests, across all of the variables.

The evaluation and planning method of Spanish sport and physical activity instructors: A comparative study across gender, age, level of studies and work experience

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the planning and the evaluation of Spanish sport and physical activity instructors as well as to analyze and compare the two variables in terms of their gender, age, level of studies and work experience. This research falls inside the quantitative type methodology of descriptive cut through standardized interview using the standardized questionnaire: “Human resources of sport and physical activity”. It analyses the situation and performance of people working in functions of sport and physical activity. The questionnaire was completed by 600 sport and physical activity instructors from Spain. Key results revealed that 48.0% of them plan their classes and 58.17% assess. The study also found male university graduates between the ages of 60 and 70, with 10 years of experience or more spend the most time on planning and assessment. Daily classroom observation was the tool which physical activity and sport instructors used the most, followed by execution tests. The lesser used tools were theoretical knowledge exams, diaries and the personally created tests, across all of the variables. PMID:28683081

Age Differences in Mystical Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, Jeffrey S.

1993-01-01

Examined age differences in mystical experiences. According to 1988 General Social Survey (n=1,481) mystical experiences were somewhat more common in 1988 than in 1973, and deja vu, clairvoyance, and composite mysticism scores had increased with successively younger age cohorts. Private and subjective religiosity were positively related to overall…

Organizational citizenship behavior and work experience.

PubMed

Kegans, Loyd; McCamey, Randy B; Hammond, Honor

2012-01-01

The authors compared the relationship of elements of the Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) and years of work experience of registered nurses in the state of Texas. Work experience research has shown a relationship between OCB and work experience through mediating roles of various work related characteristics does exist. Work experience is described as the overall length of time in an occupation or workforce. Civic virtue was the only element of organizational citizenship behavior to have a statistically significant correlation with years of work experience in this study. Other elements were found to have no statistically significant correlation with years of work experience. Further research should be undertaken to determine if correlations between these two constructs holds up when the population under study is further refined by job classification, such as management and staff, or industry segment.

Experiences of work ability in young workers: an exploratory interview study.

PubMed

Boström, Maria; Holmgren, Kristina; Sluiter, Judith K; Hagberg, Mats; Grimby-Ekman, Anna

2016-05-01

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of and influences on work ability in young workers related to their work and life situation. In a qualitative study of a strategic sample of 12 young female and 12 young male workers, aged 25-30 years, in work or recently left work, recruited from the 5-year follow-up of a Swedish cohort, semi-structured interviews were performed to explore the experiences of work ability in these young workers. Systematic text condensation inspired by phenomenology was used in the analysis. Work ability was experienced as complex, consisting of four themes, each with three subthemes. To be alert and have energy, to possess sufficient education, skills and working life experience and experience meaningfulness and engagement in work, were perceived to be fundamental for work ability and were seen as the worker's own responsibility. Moreover, work ability can be improved or reduced by the psychosocial work climate, the work organization and the private life. Optimal work ability was experienced when all themes integrated in a positive way. Work ability was experienced as the worker's own responsibility that could be influenced by work circumstances and private life. To promote good work ability among young workers, work ability has to be understood in its specific context. Whether the understanding of work ability found in this study is explicit for the group of young adults needs to be explored in a more general population in further research.

Older lesbians and work in the Australian health and aged care sector.

PubMed

Hughes, Mark; Kentlyn, Sujay

2015-01-01

While research has identified challenges lesbians face in the workplace, there is limited understanding of the particular experiences of older lesbians, especially those working in the health and aged care sector. This article draws on the stories of four women who participated in a narrative research project on lesbian and gay people's experiences of health and aged care. It highlights the need for future research to examine the complexity of identity expression and community affiliation, how people negotiate "coming out" in the workplace, the impact of discrimination, and the resources (such as friends) available to lesbians in the workplace.

Age differences and format effects in working memory.

PubMed

Foos, Paul W; Goolkasian, Paula

2010-07-01

Format effects refer to lower recall of printed words from working memory when compared to spoken words or pictures. These effects have been attributed to an attenuation of attention to printed words. The present experiment compares younger and older adults' recall of three or six items presented as pictures, spoken words, printed words, and alternating case WoRdS. The latter stimuli have been shown to increase attention to printed words and, thus, reduce format effects. The question of interest was whether these stimuli would also reduce format effects for older adults whose working memory capacity has fewer attentional resources to allocate. Results showed that older adults performed as well as younger adults with three items but less well with six and that format effects were reduced for both age groups, but more for young, when alternating case words were used. Other findings regarding executive control of working memory are discussed. The obtained differences support models of reduced capacity in older adult working memory.

Work-life balance: Does age matter?

PubMed

Richert-Kaźmierska, Anita; Stankiewicz, Katarzyna

2016-11-22

Work-life balance is a priority of EU policies but at the same time demographic change affects the labour market. Employers have to deal with the ageing of their employees and adjust human resource management to maintain their competitiveness. The purpose of the article is to answer research questions: whether the age of workers determines their assessment of the work-life balance, and whether there is a relationship between the worker's age and their assessment of the activities undertaken by their employer to provide them with work-life balance. The article is based on the results of surveys conducted among 500 employees of the SME sector from Finland, Lithuania and Sweden. The results identified a statistically significant difference: employees representing older age groups are more likely to indicate the maintenance of WLB; older workers more frequently do not agree that all workers have equal opportunities to benefit from flexible solutions aimed at ensuring the maintenance of WLB. The results can be the inspiration for the decisions and actions of employers in the field of personnel management and for creating workplace conditions encouraging senior workers to continue working, even upon becoming entitled to old-age pension.

Openness to experience, work experience and patient safety.

PubMed

Chang, Hao-Yuan; Friesner, Daniel; Lee, I-Chen; Chu, Tsung-Lan; Chen, Hui-Ling; Wu, Wan-Er; Teng, Ching-I

2016-11-01

The purpose of this study is to examine how the interaction between nurse openness and work experience is related to patient safety. No study has yet examined the interactions between these, and how openness and work experience jointly impact patient safety. This study adopts a cross-sectional design, using self-reported work experience, perceived time pressure and measures of patient safety, and was conducted in a major medical centre. The sample consisted of 421 full-time nurses from all available units in the centre. Proportionate random sampling was used. Patient safety was measured using the self-reported frequency of common adverse events. Openness was self-rated using items identified in the relevant literature. Nurse openness is positively related to the patient safety construct (B = 0.08, P = 0.03). Moreover, work experience reduces the relation between openness and patient safety (B = -0.12, P < 0.01). The relationship between openness, work experience and patient safety suggests a new means of improving patient care in a health system setting. Nurse managers may enhance patient safety by assessing nurse openness and assigning highly open nurses to duties that make maximum use of that trait. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Work, eat and sleep: towards a healthy ageing at work program offshore.

PubMed

Riethmeister, Vanessa; Brouwer, Sandra; van der Klink, Jac; Bültmann, Ute

2016-02-09

Health management tools need to be developed to foster healthy ageing at work and sustain employability of ageing work-forces. The objectives of this study were to 1) perform a needs assessment to identify the needs of offshore workers in the Dutch Continental Shelf with regard to healthy ageing at work and 2) to define suitable program objectives for a future healthy ageing at work program in the offshore working population. A mixed methods design was used applying an intervention mapping procedure. Qualitative data were gathered in N = 19 semi-structured interviews and six focus-group sessions (N = 49). Qualitative data were used to develop a questionnaire, which was administered among N = 450 offshore workers. Subgroup analyses were performed to investigate age-related differences relating to health status and work-related factors. The importance of good working environments, food, as well as sleep/fatigue management was identified by the qualitative data analysis. A total of 260 offshore workers completed the questionnaire. Significant differences in work ability were found between offshore workers aged <45 and 45-54 years (mean 8.63 vs. 8.19; p = 0.005) and offshore workers aged <45 and >55 years (mean 8.63 vs. 8.22; p = 0.028). Offshore workers had a high BMI (M = 27.06, SD = 3.67), with 46 % classified as overweight (BMI 25-30) and 21 % classified as obese (BMI >30). A significant difference in BMI was found between offshore workers aged <45 and ≥55 years (mean 26.3 vs. 28.6; p <0.001). In total, 73 % of offshore workers reported prolonged fatigue. A significant difference in fatigue scores was found between offshore workers aged <45 and ≥55 years (mean 36.0 vs. 37.6; p = 0.024). Further, a "dip" was reported by 41 % of offshore workers. Dips were mainly experienced at day 10 or 11 (60 %), with 45 % experiencing the dip both as physical and mental fatigue, whereas 39 % experienced the dip as only mental fatigue. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses

Stroke patients' experiences of return to work.

PubMed

Medin, Jennie; Barajas, Josefin; Ekberg, Kerstin

2006-09-15

Purpose. The aim of this study was to describe the experience of return to work (RTW) after stroke from the patient's perspective.Method. Six patients who had their first ever stroke in 2001, were <65 years of age and were working at the time of their stroke were included. Information was obtained via an open-ended interview. The material was transcribed verbatim and analysed using Giorgi's empirical phenomenology.Results. Rehabilitation was perceived as primarily aimed at restoring bodily functions and a return to everyday activities, rather than at promoting a return to work. It was not experienced as adapted to the participants' needs or their age. The workplace was experienced as very important in the rehabilitation process. When the informants experienced that the rehabilitation professionals were not taking action, they took control of the situation themselves. The informants expressed pride in their own capacity to take the initiative and in their ability to take action. Both self-employed and employed informants said they had possibilities and opportunities to take action since their work situation was flexible. The informants' adaptation to a new role at work was perceived as facilitated by the understanding and positive attitude of co-workers.Conclusion. Among this group of stroke patients, the individual patient's capacity and ability to return to work was enhanced by motivation or "will" and self-efficacy in combination with external support. Self-efficacy was not only a personal trait or internal factor; it was enhanced and encouraged in interaction with contextual conditions. There are similarities between the RTW process and processes of health promotion.

The role of attention in binding visual features in working memory: evidence from cognitive ageing.

PubMed

Brown, Louise A; Brockmole, James R

2010-10-01

Two experiments were conducted to assess the costs of attentional load during a feature (colour-shape) binding task in younger and older adults. Experiment 1 showed that a demanding backwards counting task, which draws upon central executive/general attentional resources, reduced binding to a greater extent than individual feature memory, but the effect was no greater in older than in younger adults. Experiment 2 showed that presenting memory items sequentially rather than simultaneously, such that items are required to be maintained while new representations are created, selectively affects binding performance in both age groups. Although this experiment exhibited an age-related binding deficit overall, both age groups were affected by the attention manipulation to an equal extent. While a role for attentional processes in colour-shape binding was apparent across both experiments, manipulations of attention exerted equal effects in both age groups. We therefore conclude that age-related binding deficits neither emerge nor are exacerbated under conditions of high attentional load. Implications for theories of visual working memory and cognitive ageing are discussed.

Toward Reducing Ageism: PEACE (Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences) Model.

PubMed

Levy, Sheri R

2018-03-19

The population of older adults is growing worldwide. Negative ageism (negative attitudes and behavior toward older adults) is a serious international concern that negatively influences not only older adults but also individuals across the age continuum. This article proposes and examines the application of an integrative theoretical model across empirical evidence in the literature on ageism in psychology, medicine, social work, and sociology. The proposed Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences (PEACE) model focuses on 2 key contributing factors expected to reduce negative ageism: (a) education about aging including facts on aging along with positive older role models that dispel negative and inaccurate images of older adulthood; and (b) positive contact experiences with older adults that are individualized, provide or promote equal status, are cooperative, involve sharing of personal information, and are sanctioned within the setting. These 2 key contributing factors have the potential to be interconnected and work together to reduce negative stereotypes, aging anxiety, prejudice, and discrimination associated with older adults and aging. This model has implications for policies and programs that can improve the health and well-being of individuals, as well as expand the residential, educational, and career options of individuals across the age continuum.

20 CFR 638.507 - Work experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Work experience. 638.507 Section 638.507... TITLE IV-B OF THE JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ACT Center Operations § 638.507 Work experience. (a) The center operator shall emphasize and implement programs of work experience for students through center...

20 CFR 638.507 - Work experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Work experience. 638.507 Section 638.507... TITLE IV-B OF THE JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ACT Center Operations § 638.507 Work experience. (a) The center operator shall emphasize and implement programs of work experience for students through center...

20 CFR 627.245 - Work experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Work experience. 627.245 Section 627.245... PROGRAMS UNDER TITLES I, II, AND III OF THE ACT Program Requirements § 627.245 Work experience. (a) Definition. Work experience means a short-term or part-time training assignment with a public or private...

20 CFR 627.245 - Work experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Work experience. 627.245 Section 627.245... PROGRAMS UNDER TITLES I, II, AND III OF THE ACT Program Requirements § 627.245 Work experience. (a) Definition. Work experience means a short-term or part-time training assignment with a public or private...

Work hazards for an aging nursing workforce.

PubMed

Phillips, Jennan A; Miltner, Rebecca

2015-09-01

To discuss selected work hazards and safety concerns for aging nurses. Greater numbers of older nurses remain in the workforce. Projections suggest that one-third of the nursing workforce will be over age 50 years by 2015. Employers will struggle to find ways to protect the health and safety of their aging workforce and prevent a massive loss of intellectual and human resources when these experienced nurses exit the workforce. Review of recent relevant literature in English language journals. Repetitive motion injuries, fatigue and slips, trips and falls are three major work hazards older nurses face. We discuss several factors for each hazard, including: the normal physiological aging effects of diminished strength, hearing and vision; workplace variables of work schedules, noise and clutter; and personal characteristics of sleep disturbances, overexertion and fatigue. Inconclusive evidence exists to guide best practices for designing safe workplace environments and shift patterns for nursing work. There are at least two areas administrators can reduce work hazards for older workers: (1) modification of the workplace, and (2) creating the infrastructure to support the aging workforce to encourage healthy behaviours. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Curriculum of Work Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Mary Agnes

Curricular domains relevant to work experience programs are motivation, sequencing, and goals. A case study of a project of institutional collaboration on peer counseling for work experience students (forming a consortium between a city school board of education and a community college) was made through data generated from the Youthwork National…

Juggling work and elder caregiving: work-life balance for aging American workers.

PubMed

Pitsenberger, D Jeanne

2006-04-01

As the American work force ages, the demands of caring for aging relatives increase. Family caregiving often interferes with workplace responsibilities, creating physical, emotional, and financial stress for caregivers. Employers must address the productivity losses created by absenteeism of workers who struggle with work-life issues created by caregiving roles. Occupational health nurses must understand the factors that affect workers in their caregiving roles and make appropriate nursing interventions. They are in key positions to help aging employees and their employers face the increased demands on work-life balance created by elder caregiving.

Work Experiences of People with Mental Illness in Malaysia: A Preliminary Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boo, Su-Lyn; Loong, Jaymee; Ng, Wai-Sheng

2011-01-01

This is a preliminary qualitative study, using a basic interpretive approach, to investigate the work experiences of people with mental illness in Malaysia. Six females and four males (aged 30-70) from a residential home for the mentally ill participated in semi-structured interviews. Three inter-relating themes emerged, namely the experience of…

"To Work Just Like Anyone Else"-A Narrative from a Man Aging with Spinal Cord Injury.

PubMed

Lundström, Ulrica; Lilja, Margareta; Isaksson, Gunilla

2017-11-09

People aging with spinal cord injury (SCI) develop medical problems commonly associated with the aging process at a younger age than the general population. However, research about how the life story changes and how meaning will be experienced in occupations is lacking. The aim was to describe and offer an explanation of how a man experienced meaning in everyday occupations while aging with an SCI. Four narrative interviews were performed over a four-year period, with a man in his fifties, who lived with SCI for 39 years. The narrative analysis generated an overall plot, named "To Work Just Like Anyone Else," and gives a picture of his experiences, thoughts, and reflections about meaning in occupations, from when he became injured to the present, and in relation to his future. His life story is characterized by secondary health complications, and his experiences of negotiating with the aging body and making choices to continue working. Further, how occupational risk factors, e.g., imbalance, alienation, and deprivation, occur as a result of lack of rehabilitation and support from social systems is addressed. Future research should explore how rehabilitation and social systems can support people aging with SCI to experience meaning in everyday occupations and to have balance in everyday life.

Developmental trajectories for attention and working memory in healthy Japanese school-aged children.

PubMed

Egami, Chiyomi; Yamashita, Yushiro; Tada, Yasuhiro; Anai, Chiduru; Mukasa, Akiko; Yuge, Kotaro; Nagamitsu, Shinichiro; Matsuishi, Toyojiro

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental trajectories of attention, short-term memory, and working memory in school-aged children using a 10 min test battery of cognitive function. Participants comprised 144 typically developing children (TDC) aged 7-12 years and 24 healthy adults, divided according to age into seven groups (12 males and 12 females for each age group). Participants were assessed using CogHealth, which is a computer-based measure composed of five tasks. We measured attention, short-term memory, and working memory (WM) with visual stimulation. Each task was analyzed for age-related differences in reaction time and accuracy rate. Attention tasks were faster in stages from the age of 7-10 years. Accuracy rate of short-term memory gradually increased from 12 years of age and suddenly increased and continued to increase at 22 years of age. Accuracy rate of working memory increased until 12 years of age. Correlations were found between the ages and reaction time, and between ages and accuracy rate of the tasks. These results indicate that there were rapid improvements in attention, short-term memory, and WM performance between 7 and 10 years of age followed by gradual improvement until 12 years of age. Increase in short-term memory continued until 22 years of age. In our experience CogHealth was an easy and useful measure for the evaluation of cognitive function in school-age children. Copyright © 2015 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Healthy Aging at Work - Group Intervention in Middle Aged Nurses].

PubMed

Maatouk, Imad; Helaß, Madeleine

2018-05-30

Demographic change leads to shifting demands in patient care, not only due to older and sicker patients, but also due to ageing and potentially strained nursing staff. High job strain is known to be associated with an intention to leave the job. At the same time prevalence of mental distress is already high. The aim of our work was to develop a small group intervention to prevent mental strain and to enhance healthy ageing at work. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Aging and Work in American Society.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mowsesian, Richard

On the premise that researchers, practitioners, and policy makers lack an extensive and systematic examination of the concerns of the aging, this monograph examines American social issues as a context for a functional definition of aging and a taxonomy for use in conducting research. Issues are examined with regard to aging and work in four areas…

20 CFR 627.245 - Work experience.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... the participant. The duration of work experience shall be recorded in the participant's ISS. (d... skills of the participant, as recorded in the ISS. (e) Work experience is not an allowable activity under...

Aging: A Positive Growth Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahr, Rose Therese

1978-01-01

The purpose of this article is to identify the physiological, psychosocial, and spiritual aspects of aging, as well as to emphasize the role of education as a total life experience that can result in understanding of the unique needs of the aging person. (Author/RK)

Musical Experience and the Aging Auditory System: Implications for Cognitive Abilities and Hearing Speech in Noise

PubMed Central

Parbery-Clark, Alexandra; Strait, Dana L.; Anderson, Samira; Hittner, Emily; Kraus, Nina

2011-01-01

Much of our daily communication occurs in the presence of background noise, compromising our ability to hear. While understanding speech in noise is a challenge for everyone, it becomes increasingly difficult as we age. Although aging is generally accompanied by hearing loss, this perceptual decline cannot fully account for the difficulties experienced by older adults for hearing in noise. Decreased cognitive skills concurrent with reduced perceptual acuity are thought to contribute to the difficulty older adults experience understanding speech in noise. Given that musical experience positively impacts speech perception in noise in young adults (ages 18–30), we asked whether musical experience benefits an older cohort of musicians (ages 45–65), potentially offsetting the age-related decline in speech-in-noise perceptual abilities and associated cognitive function (i.e., working memory). Consistent with performance in young adults, older musicians demonstrated enhanced speech-in-noise perception relative to nonmusicians along with greater auditory, but not visual, working memory capacity. By demonstrating that speech-in-noise perception and related cognitive function are enhanced in older musicians, our results imply that musical training may reduce the impact of age-related auditory decline. PMID:21589653

Musical experience and the aging auditory system: implications for cognitive abilities and hearing speech in noise.

PubMed

Parbery-Clark, Alexandra; Strait, Dana L; Anderson, Samira; Hittner, Emily; Kraus, Nina

2011-05-11

Much of our daily communication occurs in the presence of background noise, compromising our ability to hear. While understanding speech in noise is a challenge for everyone, it becomes increasingly difficult as we age. Although aging is generally accompanied by hearing loss, this perceptual decline cannot fully account for the difficulties experienced by older adults for hearing in noise. Decreased cognitive skills concurrent with reduced perceptual acuity are thought to contribute to the difficulty older adults experience understanding speech in noise. Given that musical experience positively impacts speech perception in noise in young adults (ages 18-30), we asked whether musical experience benefits an older cohort of musicians (ages 45-65), potentially offsetting the age-related decline in speech-in-noise perceptual abilities and associated cognitive function (i.e., working memory). Consistent with performance in young adults, older musicians demonstrated enhanced speech-in-noise perception relative to nonmusicians along with greater auditory, but not visual, working memory capacity. By demonstrating that speech-in-noise perception and related cognitive function are enhanced in older musicians, our results imply that musical training may reduce the impact of age-related auditory decline.

Age Stereotypes about Emotional Resilience at Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rauschenbach, Cornelia; Goritz, Anja S.; Hertel, Guido

2012-01-01

In light of an aging workforce, age stereotypes have become an important topic both for researchers and for practitioners. Among other effects, age stereotypes might predict discriminatory behavior at work. This study examined stereotypic beliefs about emotional resilience as a function of both targets' and judges' age. In a web-based study, 4,181…

Framework for Considering Productive Aging and Work.

PubMed

Schulte, Paul A; Grosch, James; Scholl, Juliann C; Tamers, Sara L

2018-05-01

The U.S. population is experiencing a demographic transition resulting in an aging workforce. The objective of this article is to elucidate and expand an approach to keep that workforce safe, healthy, and productive. This article elucidates the framework for the National Center for Productive Aging at Work of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Subject matter experts used a snowball method to review published literature to substantiate elements in the framework. Evidence-based literature supports a productive aging framework for the workforce involving the following elements: 1) life span perspective; 2) comprehensive and integrated approaches to occupational safety and health; 3) emphasis on positive outcomes for both workers and organizations; and 4) supportive work culture for multigenerational issues. The productive aging framework provides a foundational and comprehensive approach for addressing the aging workforce.

Getting to Grips with Work Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Misko, Josie

This booklet, which is intended for individuals responsible for organizing student placements in work experience programs in Australia, provides an overview of the basic issues regarding work experience programs. The following are among the topics discussed in the 14 sections: (1) understanding the characteristics and purposes of industry…

School-Age Prework Experiences of Young People with a History of Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durkin, Kevin; Fraser, Jill; Conti-Ramsden, Gina

2012-01-01

Young people with specific language impairment (SLI) are at risk for poorer outcomes with respect to employment in adulthood, yet little is known of how early school-age prework experiences prepare them for the job market. This study examined whether young people with SLI engage in similar types of early work experiences as their typically…

Work Experience, Socialization, and Civil Liberties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korman, Abraham K.

1975-01-01

Examines the effects of work experience on attitudes and behaviors in the area of civil liberties; (1) noting that hierarchical structure, rigidity and specialization seem to generate negative effect toward civil libertarian concerns, and (2) proposing a theoretical model designed to predict the conditions under which work experience may be…

Creating Better School-Age Care Jobs: Model Work Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haack, Peggy

Built on the premise that good school-age care jobs are the cornerstone of high-quality services for school-age youth and their families, this guide presents model work standards for school-age care providers. The guide begins with a description of the strengths and challenges of the school-age care profession. The model work standards are…

The influence of aging on attentional refreshing and articulatory rehearsal during working memory on later episodic memory performance.

PubMed

Loaiza, Vanessa M; McCabe, David P

2013-01-01

We investigated age-related changes in two proposed mechanisms of maintenance in working memory, articulatory rehearsal, and attentional refreshing, by examining the consequences of manipulating the opportunity for each on delayed recall. Both experiments utilized modified operation span tasks to vary the opportunity for articulatory rehearsal (Experiment 1) and attentional refreshing opportunities (Experiment 2). In both experiments, episodic memory was tested for items that had been initially studied during the respective operation span task. Older adults' episodic memory benefited less from opportunities for refreshing than younger adults. In contrast, articulatory rehearsal opportunities did not influence episodic memory for either age group. The results suggest that attentional refreshing, and not articulatory rehearsal, is important during working memory in order to bind more accessible traces at later tests, which appears to be more deficient in older adults than younger adults.

The psychosocial work environment is associated with risk of stroke at working age.

PubMed

Jood, Katarina; Karlsson, Nadine; Medin, Jennie; Pessah-Rasmussen, Hélène; Wester, Per; Ekberg, Kerstin

2017-07-01

Objective The aim of this study was to explore the relation between the risk of first-ever stroke at working age and psychological work environmental factors. Methods A consecutive multicenter matched 1:2 case-control study of acute stroke cases (N=198, age 30-65 years) who had been working full-time at the time of their stroke and 396 sex- and age-matched controls. Stroke cases and controls answered questionnaires on their psychosocial situation during the previous 12 months. The psychosocial work environment was assessed using three different measures: the job-control-demand model, the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) score, and exposures to conflict at work. Results Among 198 stroke cases and 396 controls, job strain [odds ratio (OR) 1.30, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.05-1.62], ERI (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.01-1.62), and conflict at work (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.07-2.88) were independent risk factors of stroke in multivariable regression models. Conclusions Adverse psychosocial working conditions during the past 12 months were more frequently observed among stroke cases. Since these factors are presumably modifiable, interventional studies targeting job strain and emotional work environment are warranted.

The role of aging in intra-item and item-context binding processes in visual working memory.

PubMed

Peterson, Dwight J; Naveh-Benjamin, Moshe

2016-11-01

Aging is accompanied by declines in both working memory and long-term episodic memory processes. Specifically, important age-related memory deficits are characterized by performance impairments exhibited by older relative to younger adults when binding distinct components into a single integrated representation, despite relatively intact memory for the individual components. While robust patterns of age-related binding deficits are prevalent in studies of long-term episodic memory, observations of such deficits in visual working memory (VWM) may depend on the specific type of binding process being examined. For instance, a number of studies indicate that processes involved in item-context binding of items to occupied spatial locations within visual working memory are impaired in older relative to younger adults. Other findings suggest that intra-item binding of visual surface features (e.g., color, shape), compared to memory for single features, within visual working memory, remains relatively intact. Here, we examined each of these binding processes in younger and older adults under both optimal conditions (i.e., no concurrent load) and concurrent load (e.g., articulatory suppression, backward counting). Experiment 1 revealed an age-related intra-item binding deficit for surface features under no concurrent load but not when articulatory suppression was required. In contrast, in Experiments 2 and 3, we observed an age-related item-context binding deficit regardless of the level of concurrent load. These findings reveal that the influence of concurrent load on distinct binding processes within VWM, potentially those supported by rehearsal, is an important factor mediating the presence or absence of age-related binding deficits within VWM. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Predictors of Depression and Musculoskeletal Disorder Related Work Disability Among Young, Middle-Aged, and Aging Employees.

PubMed

Ervasti, Jenni; Mattila-Holappa, Pauliina; Joensuu, Matti; Pentti, Jaana; Lallukka, Tea; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi; Virtanen, Marianna

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the level and predictors of work disability in different age groups. We followed young (18 to 34 years), middle-aged (35 to 50 years), and aging (>50 years) employees (n = 70,417) for 7 years (2005 to 2011) for all-cause and cause-specific work disability (sickness absence and disability pension). Using negative binomial regression, we obtained both relative risk estimates and absolute rates, that is, days of work disability per person-year. The greatest relative difference in all-cause, and specifically depression-related work disability, was between young women and young men, and between employees with low versus high levels of education. Aging employees with a low education and chronic somatic disease had the highest levels of musculoskeletal disorder related work disability. The predictors of work disability vary by age and diagnosis. These results help target age-specific measures for the prevention of permanent work disability.

“To Work Just Like Anyone Else”—A Narrative from a Man Aging with Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

Lilja, Margareta; Isaksson, Gunilla

2017-01-01

People aging with spinal cord injury (SCI) develop medical problems commonly associated with the aging process at a younger age than the general population. However, research about how the life story changes and how meaning will be experienced in occupations is lacking. The aim was to describe and offer an explanation of how a man experienced meaning in everyday occupations while aging with an SCI. Four narrative interviews were performed over a four-year period, with a man in his fifties, who lived with SCI for 39 years. The narrative analysis generated an overall plot, named “To Work Just Like Anyone Else,” and gives a picture of his experiences, thoughts, and reflections about meaning in occupations, from when he became injured to the present, and in relation to his future. His life story is characterized by secondary health complications, and his experiences of negotiating with the aging body and making choices to continue working. Further, how occupational risk factors, e.g., imbalance, alienation, and deprivation, occur as a result of lack of rehabilitation and support from social systems is addressed. Future research should explore how rehabilitation and social systems can support people aging with SCI to experience meaning in everyday occupations and to have balance in everyday life. PMID:29120355

[Aging of the working population in the European Union].

PubMed

Ilmarinen, J; Costa, G

2000-01-01

The working population over 50 years of age will grow considerably during the next 15 years. After 2010, the number of retired people over 65 years of age will be almost double that of 1995, with a strong impact also on working conditions and the labour market. Work ability is a dynamic process that changes, through its components, throughout life and is the result of the interaction between individual resources (including health, functional capacity, education and skills), working conditions, and the surrounding society. Work ability creates the basis for the employability of an individual, which can be supported by a number of actions (e.g. legislation on work and retirement) and social attitudes (e.g. age discrimination). Consequently, the prevalence of limitations in work ability varies significantly according to how it is evaluated and the frequency of work disability can vary considerably in different times, locations and populations. The Work Ability Index, created and used in a Finnish 11-year longitudinal study, has been proved a useful practical tool for the assessment of workers' fitness and a good predictor of work disability. Measures able to restore, maintain or promote work ability depend on the current work status and the needs of the target groups, and must concentrate on work content, physical work environment and the work community. The actions targeted towards the individual, on the other hand, concentrate on strengthening the health status and functional resources of the workers and developing professional expertise and skills. Correctly targeted and integrated measures improve work ability of ageing workers and therefore lead to improved work quality, increased productivity and also improved quality of life and well-being. They also have positive long-term effects on the "third age", when the worker retires.

The Argon Geochronology Experiment (AGE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swindle, T. D.; Bode, R.; Fennema, A.; Chutjian, A.; MacAskill, J. A.; Darrach, M. R.; Clegg, S. M.; Wiens, R. C.; Cremers, D.

2006-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the Argon Geochronology Experiment (AGE). Potassium-Argon dating is shown along with cosmic ray dating exposure. The contents include a flow diagram of the Argon Geochronology Experiment, and schematic diagrams of the mass spectrometer vacuum system, sample manipulation mechanism, mineral heater oven, and the quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Operation with elemental abundances is also described.

Effects of Age on Maximal Work Capacity in Women Aged 18-48 Years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartung, G. Harley; And Others

Fifty-six healthy nontrained women aged 18 to 48 were tested for maximal work capacity on a bicycle ergometer. The women were divided into three age groups. A continuous step-increment bicycle ergometer work test was administered with the workload starting at 150 kpm (kilometers per minute) and 50 pedal rpm (revolutions per minute). The workload…

Binding and Inhibition in Working Memory: Individual and Age Differences in Short-Term Recognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberauer, Klaus

2005-01-01

Two studies investigated the relationship between working memory capacity (WMC), adult age, and the resolution of conflict between familiarity and recollection in short-term recognition tasks. Experiment 1 showed a specific deficit of young adults with low WMC in rejecting intrusion probes (i.e., highly familiar probes) in a modified Sternberg…

Accelerated Aging Experiments for Capacitor Health Monitoring and Prognostics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kulkarni, Chetan S.; Celaya, Jose Ramon; Biswas, Gautam; Goebel, Kai

2012-01-01

This paper discusses experimental setups for health monitoring and prognostics of electrolytic capacitors under nominal operation and accelerated aging conditions. Electrolytic capacitors have higher failure rates than other components in electronic systems like power drives, power converters etc. Our current work focuses on developing first-principles-based degradation models for electrolytic capacitors under varying electrical and thermal stress conditions. Prognostics and health management for electronic systems aims to predict the onset of faults, study causes for system degradation, and accurately compute remaining useful life. Accelerated life test methods are often used in prognostics research as a way to model multiple causes and assess the effects of the degradation process through time. It also allows for the identification and study of different failure mechanisms and their relationships under different operating conditions. Experiments are designed for aging of the capacitors such that the degradation pattern induced by the aging can be monitored and analyzed. Experimental setups and data collection methods are presented to demonstrate this approach.

Psychotic experiences and psychotic disorders at age 18 in relation to psychotic experiences at age 12 in a longitudinal population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Zammit, Stanley; Kounali, Daphne; Cannon, Mary; David, Anthony S; Gunnell, David; Heron, Jon; Jones, Peter B; Lewis, Shôn; Sullivan, Sarah; Wolke, Dieter; Lewis, Glyn

2013-07-01

OBJECTIVE The authors examined the development of psychotic experiences and psychotic disorders in a large population-based sample of young adults and explored their relationship to psychotic phenomena earlier in childhood. METHOD The authors conducted a longitudinal birth cohort study of individuals assessed with the semistructured Psychosis-Like Symptom Interviews at ages 12 and 18 years. RESULTS Of the 4,724 individuals interviewed at age 18, 433 (9.2%) had either suspected (N=203 [4.3%]) or definite (N=230 [4.9%]) psychotic experiences. Of these, 79 (1.7%) met criteria for a psychotic disorder, and of those, only 50% sought professional help. All psychotic outcomes were more likely in young women and in those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Of the participants who had psychotic experiences at age 12, 78.7% had remitted by age 18. The risk of psychotic disorders at age 18 was greater in those with suspected (odds ratio=5.6, 95% CI=2.6-12.1) and especially in those with definite (odds ratio=12.7, 95% CI=6.2-26.1) psychotic experiences at age 12, and also among those with psychotic experiences at age 12 attributed to sleep or fever or with nonpsychotic experiences such as depersonalization. The positive predictive values for increasing frequency of experiences at age 12 predicting psychotic disorders at age 18 ranged from 5.5% to 22.8%. CONCLUSIONS Despite evidence for a continuum of psychotic experiences from as early as age 12, positive predictive values for predicting psychotic disorders were too low to offer real potential for targeted interventions. Psychotic disorders in young adults are relatively uncommon, but they constitute an important unmet need for care given that half of the individuals in this study who met criteria for a psychiatric disorder had not sought help for these problems despite high levels of associated distress and impairment.

[Shift Work among Men and Women on the Threshold to Higher Working Age - Working Conditions and Health Status].

PubMed

Leser, C; Tisch, A; Tophoven, S

2016-11-01

Background: The number of older employees in shift and night work has increased significantly in recent years. Furthermore, the proportion of women in shift and night work has increased markedly. This is due to the aging workforce and the expansion of shift work in the tertiary sector. Previous research shows that shift work is often associated with health risks. Against this background, the aim of the present study is to examine the situation of working men and women on the threshold to higher working age with regard to the relationship between shift work and physical health. Methods: We employed data from the study "lidA - leben in der Arbeit" German Cohort Study on Work, Age and Health, a survey of the German baby boom cohorts born in 1959 and 1965 (n=5 637). Linear regression models are used to study the effect of shift work - with and without night work - and of further work exposures on the baby boomers' physical health status. The models control for sleep and health-related behaviour and are stratified by gender. Among women, also the scope of work was taken into account. Results: The results show that male shift workers are burdened by their on average lower occupational status and by physical exposure; female shift workers additionally suffer from high personal effort and low rewards and female part-time shift workers also from overcommitment. Conclusion: Working conditions of shift workers are strongly characterised by work stress. In order to preserve aging shift workers' work ability, some organisational measures seem necessary. In this context, occupational safety and health management as well as opportunities for recovery and encouraging leadership should be considered. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Age, burnout and physical and psychological work ability among nurses.

PubMed

Hatch, D J; Freude, G; Martus, P; Rose, U; Müller, G; Potter, G G

2018-03-26

The ageing of the US labour force highlights the need to examine older adults' physical and psychological ability to work, under varying levels of occupational burnout. To examine how age and burnout interact in predicting physical and psychological work ability. Using a cohort of actively working nurses, we assessed factors on the Work Ability Index at 12-month follow-up and determined how these were related to age and exhaustion-related burnout at baseline. The study group consisted of 402 nurses aged 25-67 (mean = 41.7). Results indicated age by burnout interactions in which decrements in physical work ability with greater age were observed at all but the lowest level of burnout (1.5 SD below mean: β = -0.14, 95% CI -0.36, 0.07; 1 SD below: β = -0.23, 95% CI -0.39, -0.06; mean: β = -0.39, 95% CI -0.50, -0.29; 1 SD above: β = -0.56, 95% CI -0.70, -0.42; 1.5 SD above: β = -0.64, 95% CI -0.83, -0.46). In contrast, we observed decrements in psychological work ability with age at higher levels of burnout only (1 SD above: β = -0.20, 95% CI -0.35, -0.05; 1.5 SD above: β = -0.30, 95% CI -0.49, -0.11); at lower levels of burnout, older age was associated with improvements in this (1 SD below: β = 0.19, 95% CI 0.03, 0.35; 1.5 SD below: β = 0.29, 95% CI 0.08, 0.50). Findings indicated physical and psychological dimensions of work ability that differed by age and occupational burnout. This emphasizes the need for interventions to reduce burnout and to address age-related strengths and vulnerabilities relating to physical and psychological work ability.

Call-handlers' working conditions and their subjective experience of work: a transversal study.

PubMed

Croidieu, Sophie; Charbotel, Barbara; Vohito, Michel; Renaud, Liliane; Jaussaud, Joelle; Bourboul, Christian; Ardiet, Dominique; Imbard, Isabelle; Guerin, Anne Céline; Bergeret, Alain

2008-10-01

The present study sought to describe call-center working conditions and call-handlers' subjective experience of their work. A transversal study was performed in companies followed by the 47 occupational physicians taking part. A dedicated questionnaire included one part on working conditions (work-station organization, task types, work schedules, and controls) and another on the perception of working conditions. Psychosocial risk factors were explored by three dimensions of the Karasek questionnaire, decision latitude, psychological demands and social support. A descriptive stage characterized the population and quantified the frequency of the various types of work organization, working conditions and perception. Certain working conditions data were crossed with perception data. The total sample comprised 2,130 call-handlers from around 100 different companies. The population was 71.9% female, with a mean age of 32.4 years. The general educational level was high, with 1,443 (68.2%) of call-handlers having at least 2 years' higher education; 1,937 of the workers (91.2%) had permanent work contracts. Some working situations were found to be associated with low decision latitude and high psychological demands: i.e., where the schedule (full-time or part-time) was imposed, where the call-handlers had not chosen to work in a call-center, or where they received prior warning of controls. Moreover, the rate of low decision latitude and high psychological demands increased with seniority in the job. The rate of low decision latitude increased with the size of the company and was higher when call duration was imposed and when the call-handlers handled only incoming calls. The rate of high psychological demands was higher when call-handlers handled both incoming and outgoing calls. This study confirmed the high rate of psychosocial constraints for call-handlers and identified work situations at risk.

METHODS AND MATERIALS IN WORK EXPERIENCE EDUCATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215, IL.

THIS DOCUMENT DEFINES WORK EXPERIENCE, DESCRIBES SOME TYPICAL PROGRAMS IN OPERATION, AND PRESENTS METHODS OF ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION. MATERIAL WAS OBTAINED THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL SCHOOL PERSONNEL, BY LETTER FROM DISTRICTS IN OTHER STATES, AND FROM RELATED LITERATURE. WORK EXPERIENCE IS DEFINED AS EMBRACING BOTH VOCATIONAL AND…

Men who work at age 70 or older.

PubMed

Ozawa, Martha N; Lum, Terry Y

2005-01-01

The federal policy on older workers has shifted from the encouragement of early withdrawal from the labor force to the encouragement of continuous participation in the labor force. In this light, it is instructive to investigate the backgrounds of elderly people who work at age 70 or older. This article presents the findings of a study, using data from the 1993 Asset and Health Dynamics of the Oldest Old Study, that investigated the effects of health, economic conditions (net worth, employer-provided pensions, and supplemental medical insurance coverage), education, and spouse's work status on the probability of working among men aged 70 or older. The study addressed the probability of working, the probability of working fulltime and of working part-time, and the probability of being self-employed and of being employed by others. Implications for policy are discussed.

Physical work capacity in older adults: implications for the aging worker.

PubMed

Kenny, Glen P; Yardley, Jane E; Martineau, Lucie; Jay, Ollie

2008-08-01

In many developed countries, the workforce is rapidly aging. Occupational demands however, have not decreased despite the fact that workers see a decline in physical work capacity with age. The purpose of this review is to examine the physiological adaptations to aging, the impact of aging on performance and the benefits of physical fitness in improving functional work capacity in aging individuals. An extensive search of the scientific literature was performed, acquiring published articles which examined the physiological changes associated with age-related decrements in the physical work capacity of healthy aging adults. The databases accessed included AARP Ageline, AccessScience, Annual Reviews, CISTI, Cochrane Library, Clinical Evidence, Digital Dissertations (Proquest), Embase, HealthSTAR, Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and PASCAL and included relevant information sites obtained on the world wide web. While a great deal of variation exists, an average decline of 20% in physical work capacity has been reported between the ages of 40 and 60 years, due to decreases in aerobic and musculoskeletal capacity. These declines can contribute to decreased work capacity, and consequential increases in work-related injuries and illness. However, differences in habitual physical activity will greatly influence the variability seen in individual physical work capacity and its components. Well-organized, management-supported, work-site health interventions encouraging physical activity during work hours could potentially decrease the incidence of age-related injury and illness. Age-associated functional declines and the accompanying risk of work-related injury can be prevented or at least delayed by the practice of regular physical activity. Older workers could optimally pursue their careers until retirement if they continuously maintain their physical training.

Embodied practice: claiming the body's experience, agency, and knowledge for social work.

PubMed

Tangenberg, Kathleen M; Kemp, Susan

2002-01-01

Although social work practice typically is concerned with physical conditions and experiences such as poverty, addiction, and violence, relatively little attention has been given to the body in professional literature. Emphasizing both physical and sociocultural dimensions of the body, this article argues for an invigorated, more complex understanding of the body in social work theory, practice, and research. Drawing from scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and social work, a framework involving three dimensions of the body is proposed for integration with accepted ecological practice models. The nature and implications of three primary dimensions of the body for multiple domains of social work practice are explored, citing examples from narratives of mothers living with HIV disease: (1) the experiencing body, focused on the physicality of daily life; (2) the body of power, focused on the physicality of oppression and marginality, typically based on race or ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, physical appearance, and illness; and (3) the client body, reflecting the bodily experiences of those identified as clients who participate in relationships with social workers.

Aging and heat tolerance at rest or during work.

PubMed

Pandolf, K B

1991-01-01

Collectively, the literature on heat tolerance suggests that middle-aged (45-64 year old) men and women are more work-heat intolerant, and suffer more physiological strain during heat acclimation, than do younger individuals. However, it is unclear whether the age differences in work-heat intolerance and physiological strain during heat acclimation are related to age per se or associated with other factors such as certain disease states, decreased physical activity, and/or lowered aerobic fitness. In contrast, the work-heat tolerance and physiological responses during heat acclimation of habitually active or aerobically trained middle-aged men are the same or better than younger individuals. The reviewed studies emphasize the importance of aerobic fitness and pertinent morphological factors, such as body fat, body weight, and surface area in maintaining work-heat tolerance with aging. Recent studies suggest that middle-aged and older men and women may be more susceptible to greater heat strain at physiologically significant levels of dehydration than those younger. However, additional research appears necessary to support this hypothesis. When the effects of chronic debilitating diseases in the elderly (greater than 64 years old) are minimized, their heat tolerance and thermoregulatory responses are comparable to those younger. In fact, healthy and well-acclimated elderly men and women appear to perform as well as those younger during desert walks in dry heat. This review shall discuss experimental observations from previously published studies concerning aging and heat tolerance or the physiological heat strain during heat acclimation at rest or during work; and, will suggest future research efforts needed to advance the area.

The role of experience in night work: Lessons from two ergonomic studies.

PubMed

Pueyo, Valérie; Toupin, Cathy; Volkoff, Serge

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article is to analyze some connections between experience, health and work, especially in the field of night work. As a result of the baby boom, the proportion of elderly workers is steadily increasing, while at the same time many workers are reaching retirement age and being replaced by younger people. And, in the same time, there is an overall gradual increase in shift work and night work. To our knowledge, worker experience has not been extensively studied in this context. This was our focus in studying work activity in two very different situations, in a hospital and in a steel industry. In these two studies we observed that the experienced workers endeavor to plan ahead, especially at night. They do this to limit fatigue and to avoid emergencies and ensure that work is stress-free and as far as possible under control. But experience not only brings workers to plan ahead, it also enables them to do so, thanks to the resources it confers: gaining familiarity with tasks and acquiring the ability to identify critical situations, gaining knowledge about themselves and awareness of situations that cause difficulty; and gaining a better overview of the collective aspects of their work and of ways to share tasks or obtain assistance. They are able to undertake these strategies thanks to specific skills and capacities they have built along their professional career, which notably leads them to find the best trade-off between several goals, possibly contradictory. Such experience is especially valuable at night, when the worker is tired, and when there are fewer supervisors present. This experience can only be gained, however, if the work environment fosters its acquisition and provides an opportunity to make use of it, especially during the night shift and especially with respect to planning tasks ahead of time. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Age Management and Sustainable Careers for the Improvement of the Quality of Ageing at Work.

PubMed

Marcaletti, Francesco

2014-01-01

Prolonging working careers by increasing the statutory age for retirement has become compulsory in most Western societies in order to tackle the shrinking of the labour force, preserve economic productivity, foster knowledge transfer and reduce the risks of financial imbalances in social security systems. This imperative currently results in working careers that already exceed 40 years and come to an end after the age of 65 (e.g. in Italy). Over the next few decades, both career length and retirement age are expected to rise. Thus, creating more inclusive workplaces by increasing their quality is the precondition of a win-win situation for both employers and employees, regardless of age. A request for support in the development of sustainable careers from both private and public labour organisations has led to innovating the mainstream methodologies and research tools in the field of age management. Based on the key elements of the mainstream "work ability concept" - i.e. health, competencies, motivation and work organisation - the Quality of Ageing at Work questionnaire (QAW-q), developed by a team from the WWELL Research Centre, broadens its perspective by surveying elements bridging intra-organisational dimensions and which affect employees' conditions and external socio-institutional constraints: i.e. work-life balance, economic stability, professional identity and relationships in the workplace. The QAW-q is designed to analyse the influence of the different meanings of age (chronological age, seniority within the company and in the labour market) and correlate them with the different dimensions at individual and organisational levels; all these dimensions are weighted by the effect exerted by the passage of time. The results of the QAW-q survey, taken by employees of both private and public companies, serve as a basis for the implementation of measures addressing all the relevant dimensions of the human resource management cycle.

Media Education in Kazakhstan: Work Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laila, Akhmetova

2016-01-01

In the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2012 started work on formation of literacy in the field of media education for journalists, educators, and youth. Studied publishing foreign scientists, work experience in different countries, manuals, seminars and workshops, publishes scientific works in the Kazakh and Russian languages, and considers issues of…

Measuring the Economic Value of Pre-MBA Work Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeaple, Ronald N.; Johnston, Mark W.; Whittingham, Keith L.

2010-01-01

Pre-MBA work experience is required for admission to many graduate schools of business. In the present study, MBA graduates with a wide range of pre-MBA work experience were surveyed to assess the economic value of such work experience. No evidence was found of a systematic financial advantage to students from working for several years before…

Taking 'women's work' 'like a man': husbands' experiences of care work.

PubMed

Calasanti, Toni; King, Neal

2007-08-01

We adopted a feminist, structural approach to husbands' experiences of caring for wives with Alzheimer's disease. This framework posited that men and women draw upon gender repertoires-situational ideals of behavior based upon their respective structural locations-that create gendered experiences of stress and coping strategies. We used a qualitative, constructivist approach to analyze in-depth interviews with 22 spousal caregivers and observations within support groups. Our analysis focused on the nine husbands, the strategies these men reported using to deal with problems that arose in their care work, and the extent to which these are congruent with the masculinities of White men in the United States. We found that these husbands' approaches to caregiving and their strategies for dealing with the work and feelings involved were rooted in their sense of selves as men. We outline their overall approaches to caregiving, identify six strategies husbands used to deal with problems stemming from care work-exerting force, focusing on tasks, blocking emotions, minimizing disruption, distracting attention, and self-medicating-and tie these to their structural positions as working-, middle-, and professional-class men. Theories of gender differences in the performance or quality of care work should tie these to structural arrangements. Unless the gendered bases upon which different styles or experiences are removed (i.e., structural inequality), designers of interventions cannot and should not expect to use the experience of one group to inform appropriate strategies for the other.

Personnel's health surveillance at work: effect of age, body mass index, and shift work on mental workload and work ability index.

PubMed

Safari, Shahram; Akbari, Jafar; Kazemi, Meghdad; Mououdi, Mohammad Amin; Mahaki, Behzad

2013-01-01

Two great changes in developed countries are taking place: populations are ageing and becoming increasingly overweight. Combination of these factors with shift work is a risk factor for work ability and mental workload that are dynamic processes which change greatly throughout an individual's work life. The aim of this study was to investigate mental workload and work ability in textile workers and to identify factors which affect work ability and mental workload. This cross-sectional study was carried out among 194 male workers in textile industry. Employees based on their job group and work conditions have been divided into 6 categories. They completed work ability index and mental workload questionnaires during three work shifts. Body mass index (BMI) and demographic details were recorded. All of the participants rated their work ability as moderate with high mental workload. The mean WAI and mental workload in age group were significant. The mean BMI was 25.5 kg/m(2) (standard deviation 4.1) and the mean age was 40.22 years. There was a statistically significant correlation between work ability index and shift work. Unlike the previous study, a decrease point in WAI started in early age that may be due to life-style work and another psychological factor; on the other hand, NASA-TLX revealed high score in six subscales that can be another reason for low WAI.

Sustainable employability in shiftwork: related to types of work schedule rather than age.

PubMed

Peters, Velibor; Engels, Josephine A; de Rijk, Angelique E; Nijhuis, Frans J N

2015-10-01

There is scarce research on age and sustainable employability of nurses working in various types of work schedules. Earlier research showed that nurses working in work schedules differ regarding age. Different operationalisations of age might explain variations in sustainable employability. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate how nurses working in various types of work schedule differ regarding sustainable employability, and the role that age plays in these differences. Age was defined as chronological age, organisational age, life-span age, and functional age. Questionnaires were distributed to 974 Dutch nurses in residential elder care (response rate 51 %) with questions about the type of work schedule, aspects of sustainable employability, various operationalisations of age, and registered sickness absence data were used. Nurses working in various types of work schedules differed regarding aspects of sustainable employability, also when operationalisations of age were added. The 'life-span age' was directly related to aspects of sustainable employability. Statistically, work ability and job satisfaction were only explained by varying operationalisations of age. Nurses' sustainable employability appeared to be mainly related to differences between the types of work schedule rather than age. Fixed early shifts are characterised by the most positive aspects of sustainable employability, and three rotating schedules score worst. To improve sustainable employability, organisations should implement a system in which nurses with different types of work schedule are monitored in combination with their life-span perspective.

Millennials and the World of Work: Experiences in Paid Work During Adolescence

PubMed Central

Schulenberg, John E.

2010-01-01

Purpose This article considers some important questions faced by youth as they enter and adapt to paid work. We focus on two key questions: (1) how many hours should teenagers work during the school year and (2) what available jobs are desirable? Design/Methodology/Approach To help answer these questions, we review studies that have examined the effects of early work experiences on academic achievement, positive youth development, and health-risk behaviors. We also draw upon nationally representative data from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study to illustrate some new findings on youth employment. Findings Moderate work hours, especially in jobs of higher-quality, are associated with a broad range of positive developmental outcomes. Implications These questions are not only important to teenagers and their parents, they also reflect key debates among scholars in sociology, developmental psychology, and economics regarding the potential short- and long-term consequences of early work experiences for social development and socioeconomic achievement. Originality/Value Although work intensity is an important dimension of adolescent work experience, it is clearly not the only one and we argue that it may not even be the most important one. By focusing on types and qualities of jobs, more can be gained in terms of understanding for whom and under what conditions teenage work does provide benefits for and detriments to youth development. PMID:20495611

Millennials and the World of Work: Experiences in Paid Work During Adolescence.

PubMed

Staff, Jeremy; Schulenberg, John E

2010-06-01

PURPOSE: This article considers some important questions faced by youth as they enter and adapt to paid work. We focus on two key questions: (1) how many hours should teenagers work during the school year and (2) what available jobs are desirable? DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: To help answer these questions, we review studies that have examined the effects of early work experiences on academic achievement, positive youth development, and health-risk behaviors. We also draw upon nationally representative data from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study to illustrate some new findings on youth employment. FINDINGS: Moderate work hours, especially in jobs of higher-quality, are associated with a broad range of positive developmental outcomes. IMPLICATIONS: These questions are not only important to teenagers and their parents, they also reflect key debates among scholars in sociology, developmental psychology, and economics regarding the potential short- and long-term consequences of early work experiences for social development and socioeconomic achievement. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Although work intensity is an important dimension of adolescent work experience, it is clearly not the only one and we argue that it may not even be the most important one. By focusing on types and qualities of jobs, more can be gained in terms of understanding for whom and under what conditions teenage work does provide benefits for and detriments to youth development.

Age-Differences in Work Motivation and Job Satisfaction. The Influence of Age on the Relationships between Work Characteristics and Workers' Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boumans, Nicolle P. G.; de Jong, Ad H. J.; Janssen, Sara M.

2011-01-01

This study investigated the influence of age on the relationship between work characteristics and workers' work motivation and job satisfaction. In total, 1036 workers of a Dutch division of a multinational organization participated. Data were collected by a digital questionnaire. Two interaction terms in the regression on work motivation were…

Age-differences in work motivation and job satisfaction. The influence of age on the relationships between work characteristics and workers' outcomes.

PubMed

Boumans, Nicolle P G; de Jong, Ad H J; Janssen, Sara M

2011-01-01

This study investigated the influence of age on the relationship between work characteristics and workers' work motivation and job satisfaction. In total, 1036 workers of a Dutch division of a multinational organization participated. Data were collected by a digital questionnaire. Two interaction terms in the regression on work motivation were significant. The first interaction showed that the positive correlation between Motivating Potential Score (MPS) and motivation was much stronger for older than for younger employees. So, to remain motivated, older employees seem more in need of intrinsic challenging and fulfilling jobs. The second significant interaction indicated that the positive association between career opportunities and motivation was much stronger for younger employees than for older employees. This means that, especially, younger workers' motivation increases as they are offered more career opportunities. Careful career mentoring by the supervisor as part of an aging policy can contribute to the maintenance of workers of any age.

Gender and age do not influence the ability to work.

PubMed

Padula, Rosimeire Simprini; da Silva Valente, Luciana do Socorro; de Moraes, Mônica Vasconcelos; Chiavegato, Luciana Dias; Cabral, Cristina Maria Nunes

2012-01-01

Work capacity is related to physical, environmental and psychosocial factors and is influenced by individual characteristics and occupations. The aim of this study was to evaluated the relationship between work capacity, gender and age. 360 people employed at an institution of higher education of both genders and similar age were asked to participate in this study. The ability to work was analyzed using Work Ability Index (WAI). Descriptive statistical, Pearson correlations and ANOVA test was applied. Of these, 197 workers who participated in the study completed and returned the questionnaire. The results show there weren't any significant differences between work ability in relation to gender and age, but we observed an increase variability of responses for WAI score in older workers. No significant differences in the perception of the ability of work between men and women..

Relations between Working Memory and Emergent Writing among Preschool-Aged Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoskyn, Maureen; Tzoneva, Irina

2008-01-01

The authors examined the nature of the working memory system that underlies age differences of young, preschool-aged children. Measures of working memory, short-term memory, articulation speed, general intelligence, and writing were administered to 166 Canadian preschool-aged children aged 3 to 5 years. Findings generally support the hypothesis…

Work experience, work environment, and blood exposure among home care and hospice nurses.

PubMed

Leiss, Jack K

2012-01-01

Blood exposure rates among home care and hospice nurses (RNs) in the United States are markedly lower for nurses with more home care/hospice experience, whether or not they have more total years of nursing experience (i.e., in other work environments). This study examined whether the protective effect of home care/hospice experience was greater for nurses who worked under three types of circumstances that are typical of the home care/hospice work environment and conducive to blood exposure. A mail survey was conducted in 2006 among home care/hospice nurses in North Carolina, a largely rural state in the southeastern U.S. The adjusted response rate was 69% (n=833). Blood exposure rates were higher among nurses with ≤5 years' experience in home care/hospice. Contrary to expectations, the protective effect of more experience was greater among nurses who did not have limited access to safety devices/personal protective equipment, did not have to rush during home visits, and did not often visit homes with unrestrained pets, unruly children, poor lighting, or extreme clutter. These results suggest that characteristics of the home care/hospice work environment limit nurses' ability to use their experience to prevent blood exposure.

Personnel's Health Surveillance at Work: Effect of Age, Body Mass Index, and Shift Work on Mental Workload and Work Ability Index

PubMed Central

Safari, Shahram; Akbari, Jafar; Kazemi, Meghdad; Mououdi, Mohammad Amin; Mahaki, Behzad

2013-01-01

Introduction. Two great changes in developed countries are taking place: populations are ageing and becoming increasingly overweight. Combination of these factors with shift work is a risk factor for work ability and mental workload that are dynamic processes which change greatly throughout an individual's work life. The aim of this study was to investigate mental workload and work ability in textile workers and to identify factors which affect work ability and mental workload. Methods. This cross-sectional study was carried out among 194 male workers in textile industry. Employees based on their job group and work conditions have been divided into 6 categories. They completed work ability index and mental workload questionnaires during three work shifts. Body mass index (BMI) and demographic details were recorded. Results. All of the participants rated their work ability as moderate with high mental workload. The mean WAI and mental workload in age group were significant. The mean BMI was 25.5 kg/m2 (standard deviation 4.1) and the mean age was 40.22 years. There was a statistically significant correlation between work ability index and shift work. Conclusions. Unlike the previous study, a decrease point in WAI started in early age that may be due to life-style work and another psychological factor; on the other hand, NASA-TLX revealed high score in six subscales that can be another reason for low WAI. PMID:23956756

Intentions to Quit Work among Care Staff Working in the Aged Care Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karantzas, Gery C.; Mellor, David; McCabe, Marita P.; Davison, Tanya E.; Beaton, Paul; Mrkic, Dejan

2012-01-01

Purpose of the Study: The aged care industry experiences high rates of staff turnover. Staff turnover has significant implications for the quality of care provided to care recipients and the financial costs to care agencies. In this study, we applied a model of intention to quit to identify the contextual and personal factors that shape aged care…

Work reality perceived by individuals with impairments: a biopsychosocial experience.

PubMed

Coelho, Cecília Martins; Sampaio, Rosana Ferreira; Luz, Madel Therezinha; Mancini, Marisa Cotta

2013-01-01

Individuals with different impairments are working in the formal and/or informal market despite physical and attitudinal barriers. To date, few studies have addressed this situation from the perspective of the individuals. Apprehend factors that restrict work performance in the perspective of workers with impairments and identify the strategies employed and the difficulties faced. Individuals with impairment who exercised paid activities. Thirty semi-structured interviews and eleven observations of individuals in work activities. Limitations stemming from participants' disability and health status had an influence over their execution of tasks, but did not compromise work performance. Environmental factors that impacted as facilitators or barriers were: lack of preparation of colleagues, employers, education and rehabilitation systems; attitudes and coexistence; accessibility, implementation of land use policies, urban structures and transportation; products and technology; and distributive policies. Personal factors (upbringing, self-esteem, good mood, outgoingness, communicability, willpower, age and how the disability was acquired) also influenced participation at work. Important strategies included recognizing and sharing capabilities and needs, which minimized or eliminated difficulties at work. Workers with impairments developed effective strategies for dealing with adverse situations, which remained in the individual realm. Working with impairments is a complex experience that demands overcoming old paradigms.

Lived Experiences of College-Age Transsexual Individuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodrich, Kristopher M.

2012-01-01

This article reviews the lived experiences of 4 college-age transsexual individuals. A qualitative study using grounded theory was conducted to investigate their experiences influencing their later educational persistence. Results suggested that level of discomfort, perceived social supports, level of secrecy, and academic achievement all affected…

Age, occupational demands and the risk of serious work injury.

PubMed

Smith, P M; Berecki-Gisolf, J

2014-12-01

Interest in the relationship between age and serious work injury is increasing, given the ageing of the workforce in many industrialized economies. To examine if the relationship between age and risk of serious musculoskeletal injury differs when the physical demands of work are higher from those when they are lower. A secondary analysis of workers' compensation claims in the State of Victoria, Australia, combined with estimates of the insured labour force. We focused on musculoskeletal claims, which required 10 days of absence or health care expenditures beyond a pecuniary threshold. Regression models examined the relationship between age and claim-risk across workers with different occupational demands, as well as the relationship between occupational demands and musculoskeletal claim-risk across different age groups. Older age and greater physical demands at work were associated with an increased risk of musculoskeletal claims. In models stratified by occupational demands, we observed the relationship between age and claim-risk was steeper when occupational demands were higher. We also observed that the relationship between occupational demands and risk of work injury claim peaked among workers aged 25-44, attenuating among those aged 45 and older. This study's results suggest that although older workers and occupations with higher demands should be the targets of primary preventive efforts related to serious musculoskeletal injuries, there may also be gains in targeting middle-aged workers in the most physically demanding occupations. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Working memory for braille is shaped by experience.

PubMed

Cohen, Henri; Scherzer, Peter; Viau, Robert; Voss, Patrice; Lepore, Franco

2011-03-01

Tactile working memory was found to be more developed in completely blind (congenital and acquired) than in semi-sighted subjects, indicating that experience plays a crucial role in shaping working memory. A model of working memory, adapted from the classical model proposed by Baddeley and Hitch1 and Baddeley2 is presented where the connection strengths of a highly cross-modal network are altered through experience.

Social Work Experience and Development in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sibin, Wang

2013-01-01

This article presents the experience and limitations of government-run social work and the nonprofessional nature of social work, and suggests that the rapid development of social work and its professionalization are the inevitable results of the reform in the system. The author maintains that under market socialism, social work requires the…

20 CFR 220.130 - Work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... RETIREMENT ACT DETERMINING DISABILITY Vocational Considerations § 220.130 Work experience as a vocational factor. (a) General. Work experience means skills and abilities the claimant has acquired through work he... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2014-04-01 2012-04-01 true Work experience as a vocational factor. 220...

20 CFR 220.130 - Work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... RETIREMENT ACT DETERMINING DISABILITY Vocational Considerations § 220.130 Work experience as a vocational factor. (a) General. Work experience means skills and abilities the claimant has acquired through work he... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Work experience as a vocational factor. 220...

20 CFR 220.130 - Work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... RETIREMENT ACT DETERMINING DISABILITY Vocational Considerations § 220.130 Work experience as a vocational factor. (a) General. Work experience means skills and abilities the claimant has acquired through work he... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2013-04-01 2012-04-01 true Work experience as a vocational factor. 220...

20 CFR 220.130 - Work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... RETIREMENT ACT DETERMINING DISABILITY Vocational Considerations § 220.130 Work experience as a vocational factor. (a) General. Work experience means skills and abilities the claimant has acquired through work he... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Work experience as a vocational factor. 220...

Prevalence and causes of work disability among working-age U.S. adults, 2011-2013, NHIS.

PubMed

Theis, Kristina A; Roblin, Douglas W; Helmick, Charles G; Luo, Ruiyan

2018-01-01

Chronic conditions are among the major causes of work disability (WD), which is associated with lower employment, less economic activity, and greater dependence on social programs, while limiting access to the benefits of employment participation. We estimated the overall prevalence of WD among working-age (18-64 years) U.S. adults and the most common causes of WD overall and by sex. Next, we estimated the prevalence and most common causes of WD among adults with 12 common chronic conditions by sex and age. We hypothesized that musculoskeletal conditions would be among the most common causes of WD overall and for individuals with other diagnosed chronic conditions. Data were obtained from years 2011, 2012, and 2013 of the National Health Interview Survey. WD was defined by a "yes" response to one or both of: "Does a physical, mental, or emotional problem NOW keep you from working at a job or business?" and "Are you limited in the kind OR amount of work you can do because of a physical, mental or emotional problem?" Overall, 20.1 million adults (10.4% (95% CI = 10.1-10.8) of the working-age population) reported WD. The top three most commonly reported causes of WD were back/neck problems 30.3% (95% CI = 29.1-31.5), depression/anxiety/emotional problems 21.0% (19.9-22.0), and arthritis/rheumatism 18.6 (17.6-19.6). Musculoskeletal conditions were among the three most common causes of WD overall and by age- and sex-specific respondents across diagnosed chronic conditions. Quantifying the prevalence and causes of work disability by age and sex can help prioritize interventions. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Work Social Supports, Role Stressors, and Work-Family Conflict: The Moderating Effect of Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Russell A.; Bulger, Carrie A.; Barnes-Farrell, Janet L.

2010-01-01

The current study examined whether important distinctions are masked if participant age is ignored when modeling relationships among constructs associated with the work-family interface. An initial omnibus model of social support, work role stressors, and work-family conflict was tested. Multiple groups analyses were then conducted to investigate…

Working memory for braille is shaped by experience

PubMed Central

Scherzer, Peter; Viau, Robert; Voss, Patrice; Lepore, Franco

2011-01-01

Tactile working memory was found to be more developed in completely blind (congenital and acquired) than in semi-sighted subjects, indicating that experience plays a crucial role in shaping working memory. A model of working memory, adapted from the classical model proposed by Baddeley and Hitch1 and Baddeley2 is presented where the connection strengths of a highly cross-modal network are altered through experience. PMID:21655448

The experience of returning to work.

PubMed

Jansson, Inger; Björklund, Anita

2007-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore from an environmental perspective the experiences of returning to work of former unemployed sickness absentees. Five separate focus-group interviews were carried out with themes concerning different environmental areas. The findings showed that the participants in their process of being off work and then attempting returning to work experienced a personal transition manifesting itself as a negative self-image, change of life-rhythm and restrictions in their roles and activities. In their progression, the participants experienced a need for reorientation and expressed feelings of alienation, and for that reason felt need of support from a network, especially a professional one. Regarding attitudes in society, the participants reported experiences of social stigmatization, both in mass media and in their immediate social environment, and an increasing egocentricity among their fellow-workers. They perceived their progression back to work as a 'time quarantine' and as a long and destructive wait for support. The findings indicate that the phenomenon of 'returning to work' after unemployment and sick leave could not be reduced to a single issue. It should rather be seen as a dynamic problem with individual and structural, environmental aspects.

The Impact of Knowledge of Suicide Prevention and Work Experience among Clinical Staff on Attitudes towards Working with Suicidal Patients and Suicide Prevention.

PubMed

Ramberg, Inga-Lill; Di Lucca, Maria Anna; Hadlaczky, Gergö

2016-02-04

Suicide-preventive training has shown to influence attitudes. This study aimed at investigating what impact other factors than knowledge might have on attitudes towards work with suicidal patients and suicide prevention. In 2007, 500 health-care staff working in a psychiatric clinic in Stockholm received a questionnaire with items concerning work with suicidal patients to which 358 (71.6%) responded. A set of attitude items were tested using structural equation modelling (LISREL). Three models were found to be satisfactory valid and reliable: Job clarity, Job confidence and Attitudes towards prevention. These were then used in regression analyses as dependent variables with predictors such as experience of work with suicidal patients, perceived sufficient training, age and gender. Perceived sufficient training was consistently the most important predictor for all three attitude concepts (p < 0.01, β = 0.559 for Job clarity; p < 0.01, β = 0.53 for Job confidence; p < 0.01, β = 0.191 for Attitudes towards prevention). Age was another significant predictor for Job clarity (p < 0.05, β = 0.134), as was experience of patient suicide for Job confidence (p < 0.05, β = 0.137). It is concluded that providing suicide preventive education is likely to improve attitudes towards the prevention of suicide, clarity and confidence regarding their role in the care for suicidal patients. These improvements may contribute to the prevention of suicide in health care settings.

Why older workers work beyond the retirement age: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Sewdas, Ranu; de Wind, Astrid; van der Zwaan, Lennart G L; van der Borg, Wieke E; Steenbeek, Romy; van der Beek, Allard J; Boot, Cécile R L

2017-08-22

The aims of the present study were to: 1) gain insight into reasons for working beyond the statutory retirement age from older workers' perspectives, and 2) explore how the domains of the research framework Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM) can be applied to working beyond retirement age. A qualitative research design included individual interviews (n = 15) and three focus groups (n = 18 participants) conducted with older workers aged 65 years and older continuing in a paid job or self-employment. Interview participants were recruited from an existing STREAM cohort study. Focus group participants were recruited from companies and employment agencies. The data were subjected to thematic analysis. The most important motives for working beyond retirement age were maintaining daily routines and financial benefit. Good health and flexible work arrangements were mentioned as important preconditions. The themes emerging from the categorization of the motives and preconditions corresponded to the domains of health, work characteristics, skills and knowledge, and social and financial factors from the STREAM research framework. However, our analysis revealed one additional theme-purpose in life. This study offers important new insights into the various preconditions and motives that influence working beyond retirement age. In addition, the five domains of the STREAM research framework, including the additional domain of 'purpose in life', seem to be applicable to working beyond retirement age. This knowledge contributes to the development of work-related interventions that enhance older workers' motivation to prolong their working lives.

It Is Tough and Tiring but It Works--Children's Experiences of Undergoing Radiotherapy.

PubMed

Engvall, Gunn; Ångström-Brännström, Charlotte; Mullaney, Tara; Nilsson, Kristina; Wickart-Johansson, Gun; Svärd, Anna-Maja; Nyholm, Tufve; Lindh, Jack; Lindh, Viveca

2016-01-01

Approximately 300 children ages 0 to 18 are diagnosed with cancer in Sweden every year, and 80 to 90 of them undergo radiotherapy treatment. The aim was to describe children's experiences of preparing for and undergoing radiotherapy, and furthermore to describe children's suggestions for improvement. Thirteen children between the ages of 5 and 15 with various cancer diagnoses were interviewed. Data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The findings revealed five categories: positive and negative experiences with hospital stays and practical arrangements; age-appropriate information, communication, and guidance to various degrees; struggle with emotions; use of distraction and other suitable coping strategies; and children's suggestions for improvement during radiotherapy. An overarching theme emerged: "It is tough and tiring but it works". Some key areas were: explanatory visits, the need for information and communication, being afraid, discomfort and suffering, the need for media distraction, dealing with emotions, and the need for support. A systematic, family-centered preparation program could possible help families prepare and individualized distraction during radiotherapy could contribute to reducing distress. Further studies with interventions could clarify successful programs.

Evaluation of a Multicomponent Intervention Package to Increase Summer Work Experiences for Transition-Age Youth with Severe Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Erik W.; Trainor, Audrey A.; Ditchman, Nicole; Swedeen, Beth; Owens, Laura

2009-01-01

Early work experiences have been advocated as an important avenue for equipping youth with disabilities with the skills, attitudes, opportunities, and aspirations needed to transition successfully to meaningful careers after high school. We examined the efficacy and social validity of a multicomponent intervention package--composed of…

Claim rates of compensable back injuries by age, gender, occupation, and industry. Do they relate to return-to-work experience?

PubMed

Gluck, J V; Oleinick, A

1998-07-15

A retrospective cohort study of Michigan workers' compensation cases involving back injuries in 1986 and 1987 with incidence and outcome data. To determine claim rates by age, gender, and industry or occupation for compensable back injuries and to investigate the relation between occupation and return to work. The cohort of 24,094 Michigan workers' compensation cases from 1986 and 1987 in which claimants were compensated for back injuries was reviewed. Compensation eligibility requires more than 7 days' disability after injury. Claim rates for back injuries by age, gender, and industry or occupation using employment data interpolated from 1980 and 1990 Census 1% Public Use Microdata Samples. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed for return to work in the first 8 weeks after injury, with occupation coded at the three-digit level. All-age claim rates for Michigan compensable back injuries by occupation ranged between 0.03% and 1.7% annually (0.39% for all cases) and were generally higher in women in white collar occupations and in men in blue collar occupations. The claim rate peaked in men in the 25-34 year range, with the highest rates in manual labor occupations. The peak claim rates by age were less marked in women, tending to occur broadly throughout the 25-44-year range. Similar all-age values were recorded by industry. The male-to-female risk ratio over all occupations does not vary by age and is approximately 1.4:1. As the classification of occupation became more detailed, large differences in risk were documented within major occupation groups. The highest risk in this study was approximately 6% annually for 25-44 year old men in driver-sales (beverage truck drivers and delivery workers). Only 7 of 40 occupation categories showed a significant relative hazard for return to work in the first 8 weeks after injury, and these were blue collar occupations with earlier return than the reference sales category. For Michigan compensable back injuries, a

Women, Work and Age: A Report on Older Women and Employment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stentzel, Cathy; Steenland, Sally, Ed.

Fifty-four percent of all midlife and older American women are in the work force. Like their younger counterparts, most older women work in nonprofessional occupations. Regardless of their age, working women earn less than men. Sixty-five percent of working women aged 45 to 64 are married; 30 percent are widowed, divorced, or separated; and 5…

Group work as an incentive for learning – students’ experiences of group work

PubMed Central

Hammar Chiriac, Eva

2014-01-01

Group work is used as a means for learning at all levels in educational systems. There is strong scientific support for the benefits of having students learning and working in groups. Nevertheless, studies about what occurs in groups during group work and which factors actually influence the students’ ability to learn is still lacking. Similarly, the question of why some group work is successful and other group work results in the opposite is still unsolved. The aim of this article is to add to the current level of knowledge and understandings regarding the essence behind successful group work in higher education. This research is focused on the students’ experiences of group work and learning in groups, which is an almost non-existing aspect of research on group work prior to the beginning of the 21st century. A primary aim is to give university students a voice in the matter by elucidating the students’ positive and negative points of view and how the students assess learning when working in groups. Furthermore, the students’ explanations of why some group work ends up being a positive experience resulting in successful learning, while in other cases, the result is the reverse, are of interest. Data were collected through a study-specific questionnaire, with multiple choice and open-ended questions. The questionnaires were distributed to students in different study programs at two universities in Sweden. The present result is based on a reanalysis and qualitative analysis formed a key part of the study. The results indicate that most of the students’ experiences involved group work that facilitated learning, especially in the area of academic knowledge. Three important prerequisites (learning, study-social function, and organization) for group work that served as an effective pedagogy and as an incentive for learning were identified and discussed. All three abstractions facilitate or hamper students’ learning, as well as impact their experiences with

HEAVY MANUAL WORK THROUGHOUT THE WORKING LIFETIME AND MUSCLE STRENGTH AMONG MEN AT RETIREMENT AGE

PubMed Central

Walker-Bone, K; D’Angelo, S; Syddall, HE; Palmer, KT; Cooper, C; Coggon, D; Sayer, AA

2016-01-01

Introduction Reductions in heavy manual work as a consequence of mechanisation might impact adversely on muscle strength at older ages. We investigated the association between grip strength at retirement age and lifetime occupational exposure to physically demanding activities. Grip strength is an important predictor of long-term health and physical function in older people. Methods Grip strength (maximum of three readings in each hand) was measured in men from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study at a single examination when their mean age was 65.8 (SD 2.9) years. Associations with lifetime occupational exposure (ascertained by questionnaire) to three activities (standing/walking ≥4 hours/day; lifting ≥25 kg; and energetic work sufficient to induce sweating) were assessed by multivariable linear regression with adjustment for various potential confounders. Results Complete data were available from 1,418 men who had worked for at least 20 years. After adjustment for age, height and weight, those with longer exposures to walking/standing and heavy lifting had lower grip strength, but the relationship disappeared after further adjustment for confounders. Working at physical intensity sufficient to induce sweating was not significantly associated with grip strength. Conclusions We found no evidence that physically demanding occupational activities increase hand grip strength at normal retirement age. Any advantages of regular physical occupational activity may have been obscured by unmeasured socio-economic confounders. PMID:26896253

Demand-specific work ability, poor health and working conditions in middle-aged full-time employees.

PubMed

Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Thielen, Karsten; Nygaard, Else; Thorsen, Sannie Vester; Diderichsen, Finn

2014-07-01

We investigated the prevalence of reduced demand-specific work ability, its association with age, gender, education, poor health, and working conditions, and the interaction between poor health and working conditions regarding reduced demand-specific work ability. We used cross-sectional questionnaire data from 3381 full-time employees responding to questions about vocational education, job demands and social support (working conditions), musculoskeletal pain (MSP) and major depression (MD) (poor health) and seven questions about difficulty managing different job demands (reduced demand-specific work ability). Reduced demand-specific work ability varied from 9% to 19% among the 46-year old and from 11% to 21% among the 56-year old. Age was associated with two, gender with four, and education with all measures of reduced demand-specific work ability. MSP was associated with four and MD was associated with six measures of reduced demand-specific work ability. We found no interaction between working conditions and poor health regarding reduced demand-specific work ability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Changes in Brain Network Efficiency and Working Memory Performance in Aging

PubMed Central

Stanley, Matthew L.; Simpson, Sean L.; Dagenbach, Dale; Lyday, Robert G.; Burdette, Jonathan H.; Laurienti, Paul J.

2015-01-01

Working memory is a complex psychological construct referring to the temporary storage and active processing of information. We used functional connectivity brain network metrics quantifying local and global efficiency of information transfer for predicting individual variability in working memory performance on an n-back task in both young (n = 14) and older (n = 15) adults. Individual differences in both local and global efficiency during the working memory task were significant predictors of working memory performance in addition to age (and an interaction between age and global efficiency). Decreases in local efficiency during the working memory task were associated with better working memory performance in both age cohorts. In contrast, increases in global efficiency were associated with much better working performance for young participants; however, increases in global efficiency were associated with a slight decrease in working memory performance for older participants. Individual differences in local and global efficiency during resting-state sessions were not significant predictors of working memory performance. Significant group whole-brain functional network decreases in local efficiency also were observed during the working memory task compared to rest, whereas no significant differences were observed in network global efficiency. These results are discussed in relation to recently developed models of age-related differences in working memory. PMID:25875001

Changes in brain network efficiency and working memory performance in aging.

PubMed

Stanley, Matthew L; Simpson, Sean L; Dagenbach, Dale; Lyday, Robert G; Burdette, Jonathan H; Laurienti, Paul J

2015-01-01

Working memory is a complex psychological construct referring to the temporary storage and active processing of information. We used functional connectivity brain network metrics quantifying local and global efficiency of information transfer for predicting individual variability in working memory performance on an n-back task in both young (n = 14) and older (n = 15) adults. Individual differences in both local and global efficiency during the working memory task were significant predictors of working memory performance in addition to age (and an interaction between age and global efficiency). Decreases in local efficiency during the working memory task were associated with better working memory performance in both age cohorts. In contrast, increases in global efficiency were associated with much better working performance for young participants; however, increases in global efficiency were associated with a slight decrease in working memory performance for older participants. Individual differences in local and global efficiency during resting-state sessions were not significant predictors of working memory performance. Significant group whole-brain functional network decreases in local efficiency also were observed during the working memory task compared to rest, whereas no significant differences were observed in network global efficiency. These results are discussed in relation to recently developed models of age-related differences in working memory.

Preservice teachers' objectives and their experience of practical work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nivalainen, V.; Asikainen, M. A.; Hirvonen, P. E.

2013-06-01

This study explores third-year preservice physics teachers’ (n=32) views concerning the objectives of practical work at school and university. Content analysis of their essays about practical work revealed not only the objectives of the practical work undertaken but also how they had experienced teaching as school and university students. The objectives most commonly referred to were related to the connections between theory and practice, motivation, understanding phenomena, learning how to observe, and learning how to report. In contrast, some objectives were recognized only rarely, which is an important issue for discussion as a future challenge. Preservice teachers’ positive experiences of practical work resulted from the successful implementation of practical work. According to our findings, practical work can in many cases be regarded as successful, especially when the participants understand the objectives of the teaching. In contrast, negative experiences reflected failures or difficulties in implementation. We conclude by suggesting that preservice teachers should be offered opportunities to reflect on their previous experiences and to see and experience in practice the advantages of practical work.

The Influence of Personal Factors and Perceived Work Experiences on Employee Turnover and Absenteeism.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-11-01

FExperiences onl Employee Turnover and Absenteeism Daniel G. Spencer School of Business University of Kansas Richard M. Steers Graduiate School of...Idenify by block nomber) Turnover Education Organizational dependability Absenteeism Group Attitudes Personal importance Tenure Met expectations Age...perceived work experiences on employee turnover and absenteeism among a sample of 200 clerical and service workers in a Major hospital. It was found that

Does Volunteering Experience Influence Advance Care Planning in Old Age?

PubMed

Shen, Huei-Wern; Khosla, Nidhi

2016-07-01

Advance care planning (ACP) increases the likelihood patients will receive end-of-life care that is congruent with their preferences and lowers stress among both patients and caregivers. Previous efforts to increase ACP have mainly focused on information provision in the very late stage of life. This study examines whether a relationship exists between volunteering and ACP, and whether this relationship is associated with social support. The sample comprises 877 individuals who were aged 55+ in 2008, and were deceased before 2010. The sample is derived from seven waves (1998-2010) of data from the Health and Retirement Study. Logistic regression results showed that overall ACP and durable power of attorney for health care (DPAHC) were both higher (OR = 1.61 and 1.71, respectively) for older adults with volunteering experience in the past 10 years than those without such experience. Available social support (relatives and friends living nearby) was not associated with the relationship between volunteering and ACP. Other factors related to ACP included poorer health, death being expected, death due to cancer, older age, and being a racial minority. Involving older people in volunteer work may help to increase ACP. Future research is encouraged to identify reasons for the association between volunteering and ACP.

Working conditions in mid-life and mental health in older ages.

PubMed

Wahrendorf, Morten; Blane, David; Bartley, Mel; Dragano, Nico; Siegrist, Johannes

2013-03-01

This article illustrates the importance of previous working conditions during mid-life (between 40 and 55) for mental health among older retired men and women (60 or older) across 13 European countries. We link information on health from the second wave (2006-2007) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) with information on respondents' working life collected retrospectively in the SHARELIFE interview (2008-2009). To measure working conditions, we rely on core assumptions of existing theoretical models of work stress (the demand-control-support and the effort-reward imbalance model) and distinguish four types of unhealthy working conditions: (1) a stressful psychosocial work environment (as assessed by the two work stress models) (2) a disadvantaged occupational position throughout the whole period of mid-life, (3) experience of involuntary job loss, and (4) exposure to job instability. Health after labour market exit is measured using depressive symptoms, as measured by the EURO-D depression scale. Main results show that men and women who experienced psychosocial stress at work or had low occupational positions during mid-life had significantly higher probabilities of high depressive symptoms during retirement. Additionally, men with unstable working careers and an involuntary job loss were at higher risks to report high depressive symptoms in later life. These associations remain significant after controlling for workers' health and social position prior mid-life. These findings support the assumption that mental health of retirees who experienced poor working conditions during mid-life is impaired. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Welfare Systems, Aging and Work: An OECD Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visco, Ignazio

One of the major structural changes facing European economies is the adjustment to an older and more slowly growing population. Aging and lower fertility rates will result in a smaller proportion of the population being in the working age, especially after the year 2010. Estimates are that by 2030 there could be only 2 employed persons for every…

Optimal experience among teachers: new insights into the work paradox.

PubMed

Bassi, Marta; Delle Fave, Antonella

2012-01-01

Several studies highlighted that individuals perceive work as an opportunity for flow or optimal experience, but not as desirable and pleasant. This finding was defined as the work paradox. The present study addressed this issue among teachers from the perspective of self-determination theory, investigating work-related intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as well as autonomous and controlled behavior regulation. In Study 1, 14 teachers were longitudinally monitored with Experience Sampling Method for one work week. In Study 2, 184 teachers were administered Flow Questionnaire and Work Preference Inventory, respectively investigating opportunities for optimal experience, and motivational orientations at work. Results showed that work-related optimal experiences were associated with both autonomous regulation and with controlled regulation. Moreover, teachers reported both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation at work, with a prevailing intrinsic orientation. Findings provide novel insights on the work paradox, and suggestions for teachers' well-being promotion.

Work Placement in UK Undergraduate Programmes. Student Expectations and Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leslie, David; Richardson, Anne

1999-01-01

A survey of 189 pre- and 106 post-sandwich work-experience students in tourism suggested that potential benefits were not being maximized. Students needed better preparation for the work experience, especially in terms of their expectations. The work experience needed better design, and the role of industry tutors needed clarification. (SK)

Extending Working Life: Which Competencies are Crucial in Near-Retirement Age?

PubMed

Wiktorowicz, Justyna

2018-01-01

Nowadays, one of the most important economic and social phenomena is population ageing. Due to the low activity rate of older people, one of the most important challenges is to take various actions involving active ageing, which is supposed to extending working life, and along with it-improve the competencies of older people. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the relevance of different competencies for extending working life, with limiting the analysis for Poland. The paper also assesses the competencies of mature Polish people (aged 50+, but still in working age). In the statistical analysis, I used logistic regression, as well as descriptive statistics and appropriate statistical tests. The results show that among the actions aimed at extending working life, the most important are those related to lifelong learning, targeted at improving the competencies of the older generation. The competencies (both soft and hard) of people aged 50+ are more important than their formal education.

Caesarean section on demand: influence of personal birth experience and working environment on attitude of German gynaecologists.

PubMed

Faas-Fehervary, Patricia; Schwarz, Kai; Bauer, Lelia; Melchert, Frank

2005-10-01

We performed a survey among German obstetricians and gynecologists in order to evaluate the influence of biographic data, working environment and personal birth experience on the attitude towards Cesarean Section on demand. All 2106 board-certified gynecologists in Baden-Württemberg received an anonymous questionnaire in 2002-2003 concerning attitude towards C-section on demand, biographical data, personal birth experience and working environment. Seven hundred and nineteen questionnaires were returned and entered into statistical analysis. General approval of C-section was in 59% of all participants, with huge statistically significant variations according to age, personal birth experience and working field. When asked for their preferred way of delivery for themselves or their partner after a low-risk pregnancy, 90% of the responding gynecologists opted for vaginal delivery. The approval depended statistically significant on parenthood, personal birth experience and working environment. Biographical data, personal birth experience and working environment influence the attitude towards elective Cesaran section. Although 90% would chose vaginal delivery for themselves or their partner as best medical practice, 59% of the physicians approve of the general opportunity of C-section on demand. This shows, that not only best medical practice, but also patient autonomy and forensic aspects seem to play an important role.

Working Memory in Early-School-Age Children with Asperger's Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cui, Jifang; Gao, Dingguo; Chen, Yinghe; Zou, Xiaobing; Wang, Ya

2010-01-01

Using a battery of working memory span tasks and n-back tasks, this study aimed to explore working memory functions in early-school-age children with Asperger's syndrome (AS). Twelve children with AS and 29 healthy children matched on age and IQ were recruited. Results showed: (a) children with AS performed better in digit and word recall tasks,…

Age and health jointly moderate the influence of flexible work arrangements on work engagement: Evidence from two empirical studies.

PubMed

Rudolph, Cort W; Baltes, Boris B

2017-01-01

Research and theory support the notion that flexible work arrangements (i.e., job resources in the form of formal policies that allow employees the latitude to manage when, where, and how they work) can have a positive influence on various outcomes that are valued both by organizations and their constituents. In the present study, we integrate propositions from various theoretical perspectives to investigate how flexible work arrangements influence work engagement. Then, in 2 studies we test this association and model the influence of different conceptualizations of health and age as joint moderators of this relationship. Study 1 focuses on functional health and chronological age in an age-diverse sample, whereas study 2 focuses on health symptom severity and subjective age in a sample of older workers. In both studies, we demonstrate that the influence of flexible work arrangements on work engagement is contingent upon age and health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

THE ROLE OF AFFECTIVE EXPERIENCE IN WORK MOTIVATION

PubMed Central

SEO, MYEONG-GU; BARRETT, LISA FELDMAN; BARTUNEK, JEAN M.

2005-01-01

Based on psychological and neurobiological theories of core affective experience, we identify a set of direct and indirect paths through which affective feelings at work affect three dimensions of behavioral outcomes: direction, intensity, and persistence. First, affective experience may influence these behavioral outcomes indirectly by affecting goal level and goal commitment, as well as three key judgment components of work motivation: expectancy judgments, utility judgments, and progress judgments. Second, affective experience may also affect these behavioral outcomes directly. We discuss implications of our model. PMID:16871321

Compulsory Work Experience Programs: Hindrance or Help?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nevile, Ann

2004-01-01

A recent survey of studies on the school to work transition was particularly critical of English and Swedish compulsory work experience programs. This article reports on an Australian case study that reaches the opposite conclusion. The majority of participants in the Work for the Dole program are young people under 25 who are struggling to find…

Age inclusive services or separate old age and working age services? A historical analysis from the formative years of old age psychiatry c.1940-1989.

PubMed

Hilton, Claire

2015-04-01

The Equality Act 2010 made it unlawful to discriminate in the provision of services on the grounds of age. This legislation is open to interpretation, but it is affecting the way older people's services are defined and provided. Historical evidence indicates that, since the 1940s, apart from psychiatrists working in dedicated old age services, most were unenthusiastic about working with mentally unwell older people and unsupportive of those who chose to do so. A historical analysis might shed light on current dilemmas about 'all age' or 'old age' services and inform decision-making on future mental health services.

The Impact of Knowledge of Suicide Prevention and Work Experience among Clinical Staff on Attitudes towards Working with Suicidal Patients and Suicide Prevention

PubMed Central

Ramberg, Inga-Lill; Di Lucca, Maria Anna; Hadlaczky, Gergö

2016-01-01

Suicide-preventive training has shown to influence attitudes. This study aimed at investigating what impact other factors than knowledge might have on attitudes towards work with suicidal patients and suicide prevention. In 2007, 500 health-care staff working in a psychiatric clinic in Stockholm received a questionnaire with items concerning work with suicidal patients to which 358 (71.6%) responded. A set of attitude items were tested using structural equation modelling (LISREL). Three models were found to be satisfactory valid and reliable: Job clarity, Job confidence and Attitudes towards prevention. These were then used in regression analyses as dependent variables with predictors such as experience of work with suicidal patients, perceived sufficient training, age and gender. Perceived sufficient training was consistently the most important predictor for all three attitude concepts (p < 0.01, β = 0.559 for Job clarity; p < 0.01, β = 0.53 for Job confidence; p < 0.01, β = 0.191 for Attitudes towards prevention). Age was another significant predictor for Job clarity (p < 0.05, β = 0.134), as was experience of patient suicide for Job confidence (p < 0.05, β = 0.137). It is concluded that providing suicide preventive education is likely to improve attitudes towards the prevention of suicide, clarity and confidence regarding their role in the care for suicidal patients. These improvements may contribute to the prevention of suicide in health care settings. PMID:26861362

Differential Age Effects on Spatial and Visual Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oosterman, Joukje M.; Morel, Sascha; Meijer, Lisette; Buvens, Cleo; Kessels, Roy P. C.; Postma, Albert

2011-01-01

The present study was intended to compare age effects on visual and spatial working memory by using two versions of the same task that differed only in presentation mode. The working memory task contained both a simultaneous and a sequential presentation mode condition, reflecting, respectively, visual and spatial working memory processes. Young…

Impact of Age and Hearing Impairment on Work Performance during Long Working Hours.

PubMed

Wagner-Hartl, Verena; Grossi, Nina R; Kallus, K Wolfgang

2018-01-09

Based on demographic prognoses, it must be assumed that a greater number of older workers will be found in the future labor market. How to deal with their possible age-related impairments of sensory functions, like hearing impairment and work performance during extended working time, has not been addressed explicitly until now. The study addresses this interplay. The study was performed on two consecutive days after normal working hours. The 55 participants had to "work" in the study at least three additional hours to simulate a situation of long working hours. The tested measures for (job) performance were: general attention, long-term selective attention, concentration, and reaction time. All of the investigated variables were taken at both days of the study (2 × 2 × 2 repeated measurement design). The results show effects for age, the interaction of hearing impairment and time of measurement, and effects of the measurement time. Older participants reacted slower than younger participants did. Furthermore, younger participants reacted more frequently in a correct way. Hearing impairment seems to have a negative impact especially on measures of false reactions, and therefore especially on measurement time 1. The results can be interpreted in a way that hearing-impaired participants are able to compensate their deficits over time.

Age-Related Differences in Working Memory Performance in A 2-Back Task

PubMed Central

Wild-Wall, Nele; Falkenstein, Michael; Gajewski, Patrick D.

2011-01-01

The present study aimed to elucidate the neuro-cognitive processes underlying age-related differences in working memory. Young and middle-aged participants performed a two-choice task with low and a 2-back task with high working memory load. The P300, an event-related potential reflecting controlled stimulus–response processing in working memory, and the underlying neuronal sources of expected age-related differences were analyzed using sLORETA. Response speed was generally slower for the middle-aged than the young group. Under low working memory load the middle-aged participants traded speed for accuracy. The middle-aged were less efficient in the 2-back task as they responded slower while the error rates did not differ for groups. An age-related decline of the P300 amplitude and characteristic topographical differences were especially evident in the 2-back task. A more detailed analysis of the P300 in non-target trials revealed that amplitudes in the young but not middle-aged group differentiate between correctly detected vs. missed targets in the following trial. For these trials, source analysis revealed higher activation for the young vs. middle-aged group in brain areas which support working memory processes. The relationship between P300 and overt performance was validated by significant correlations. To sum up, under high working memory load the young group showed an increased neuronal activity before a successful detected target, while the middle-aged group showed the same neuronal pattern regardless of whether a subsequent target will be detected or missed. This stable memory trace before detected targets was reflected by a specific activation enhancement in brain areas which orchestrate maintenance, update, storage, and retrieval of information in working memory. PMID:21909328

20 CFR 404.1565 - Your work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... § 404.1565 Your work experience as a vocational factor. (a) General. Work experience means skills and abilities you have acquired through work you have done which show the type of work you may be expected to do... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Your work experience as a vocational factor...

20 CFR 404.1565 - Your work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... § 404.1565 Your work experience as a vocational factor. (a) General. Work experience means skills and abilities you have acquired through work you have done which show the type of work you may be expected to do... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Your work experience as a vocational factor...

20 CFR 416.965 - Your work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... § 416.965 Your work experience as a vocational factor. (a) General. Work experience means skills and abilities you have acquired through work you have done which show the type of work you may be expected to do... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Your work experience as a vocational factor...

20 CFR 416.965 - Your work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... § 416.965 Your work experience as a vocational factor. (a) General. Work experience means skills and abilities you have acquired through work you have done which show the type of work you may be expected to do... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Your work experience as a vocational factor...

20 CFR 404.1565 - Your work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... § 404.1565 Your work experience as a vocational factor. (a) General. Work experience means skills and abilities you have acquired through work you have done which show the type of work you may be expected to do... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Your work experience as a vocational factor...

20 CFR 416.965 - Your work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... § 416.965 Your work experience as a vocational factor. (a) General. Work experience means skills and abilities you have acquired through work you have done which show the type of work you may be expected to do... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Your work experience as a vocational factor...

20 CFR 416.965 - Your work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... § 416.965 Your work experience as a vocational factor. (a) General. Work experience means skills and abilities you have acquired through work you have done which show the type of work you may be expected to do... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Your work experience as a vocational factor...

Working memory plasticity in old age: practice gain, transfer, and maintenance.

PubMed

Li, Shu-Chen; Schmiedek, Florian; Huxhold, Oliver; Röcke, Christina; Smith, Jacqui; Lindenberger, Ulman

2008-12-01

Adult age differences in cognitive plasticity have been studied less often in working memory than in episodic memory. The authors investigated the effects of extensive working memory practice on performance improvement, transfer, and short-term maintenance of practice gains and transfer effects. Adults age 20-30 years and 70-80 years practiced a spatial working memory task with 2 levels of processing demands across 45 days for about 15 min per day. In both age groups and relative to age-matched, no-contact control groups, we found (a) substantial performance gains on the practiced task, (b) near transfer to a more demanding spatial n-back task and to numerical n-back tasks, and (c) 3-month maintenance of practice gains and near transfer effects, with decrements relative to postpractice performance among older but not younger adults. No evidence was found for far transfer to complex span tasks. The authors discuss neuronal mechanisms underlying adult age differences and similarities in patterns of plasticity and conclude that the potential of deliberate working memory practice as a tool for improving cognition in old age merits further exploration. Copyright (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Old, down and out? Appearance, body work and positive ageing among elderly South Korean women.

PubMed

Elfving-Hwang, Joanna

2016-08-01

This article offers an as yet unexplored dimension of our current understanding of the ageing body in the context of contemporary South Korea. Drawing on interviews with twenty elderly women living in the greater Seoul metropolitan area, this article explores the role of appearance, body work, and the presentation of self in the women's everyday lived experiences. Existing research on the ageing female body in South Korea has primarily focused on the so-called noin munjae ('the elderly issue') discourse, within which the ageing body is framed as passive, undesirable, or out-of-control. Contrary to this, the elderly women's own narratives of everyday beauty practices suggest that the act of sustaining well-ordered appearance in later life allows for the enforcing of positive selves in the context of personal beauty and body work. Maintaining a positive appearance was shown to play an important part of their everyday lives, and functioned as a ritual of not only presenting an appearance that signified control over the ageing body, but to continue to enjoy it. The carefully calculated engagement with various non-surgical and surgical beauty practices also emerged as an embodied practice of mediating intersubjective social encounters through which self-esteem was engendered by evidencing the self's efforts to show respect to others. The findings of this study challenge dominant discourses in the west which present body work on the ageing female body as primarily self-indulgent, or driven by anxiety about the body's inability to fit within existing youthful beauty ideals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cancer survivors' perspectives and experiences regarding behavioral determinants of return to work and continuation of work.

PubMed

Duijts, Saskia F A; van Egmond, Martine P; Gits, Maxime; van der Beek, Allard J; Bleiker, Eveline M

2017-10-01

Supportive interventions to enhance return to work (RTW) in cancer survivors hardly showed positive effects so far. Behavioral determinants might have to be considered in the development of interventions to achieve sustained employability. This study aimed to explore cancer survivors' perspectives and experiences regarding behavioral determinants of RTW and continuation of work. In this qualitative study, semi-structured telephone interviews were held with 28 cancer survivors. All participants were at working age, 1-2 years after diagnosis and employed at time of diagnosis. Thematic content analysis was performed. Work turned out to be a meaningful aspect of cancer survivors' life, and most participants reported a positive attitude towards their job. Social support to RTW or to continue working was mainly received from family and friends, but pressure to RTW from the occupational physician was also experienced. Changes in expectations regarding work ability from negative to positive during the treatment process were observed. Those who applied active coping mechanisms felt equipped to deal with difficulties regarding work. Behavioral determinants should be taken into account in the development of future interventions to support cancer survivors' RTW. However, the causal relationship still has to be determined. Implications for rehabilitation Factors influencing occupational motivation among cancer survivors need to be understood in more detail. Previous studies in non-cancer populations have demonstrated that behavioral determinants, such as a positive attitude towards work, high social support and self-efficacy may increase return to work rates or shorten the time to return to work. Addressing behavioral determinants in future development of work-related interventions for cancer survivors is essential in achieving sustained employability.

Spatial-Sequential Working Memory in Younger and Older Adults: Age Predicts Backward Recall Performance within Both Age Groups

PubMed Central

Brown, Louise A.

2016-01-01

Working memory is vulnerable to age-related decline, but there is debate regarding the age-sensitivity of different forms of spatial-sequential working memory task, depending on their passive or active nature. The functional architecture of spatial working memory was therefore explored in younger (18–40 years) and older (64–85 years) adults, using passive and active recall tasks. Spatial working memory was assessed using a modified version of the Spatial Span subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale – Third Edition (WMS-III; Wechsler, 1998). Across both age groups, the effects of interference (control, visual, or spatial), and recall type (forward and backward), were investigated. There was a clear effect of age group, with younger adults demonstrating a larger spatial working memory capacity than the older adults overall. There was also a specific effect of interference, with the spatial interference task (spatial tapping) reliably reducing performance relative to both the control and visual interference (dynamic visual noise) conditions in both age groups and both recall types. This suggests that younger and older adults have similar dependence upon active spatial rehearsal, and that both forward and backward recall require this processing capacity. Linear regression analyses were then carried out within each age group, to assess the predictors of performance in each recall format (forward and backward). Specifically the backward recall task was significantly predicted by age, within both the younger and older adult groups. This finding supports previous literature showing lifespan linear declines in spatial-sequential working memory, and in working memory tasks from other domains, but contrasts with previous evidence that backward spatial span is no more sensitive to aging than forward span. The study suggests that backward spatial span is indeed more processing-intensive than forward span, even when both tasks include a retention period, and that age predicts

Spatial-Sequential Working Memory in Younger and Older Adults: Age Predicts Backward Recall Performance within Both Age Groups.

PubMed

Brown, Louise A

2016-01-01

Working memory is vulnerable to age-related decline, but there is debate regarding the age-sensitivity of different forms of spatial-sequential working memory task, depending on their passive or active nature. The functional architecture of spatial working memory was therefore explored in younger (18-40 years) and older (64-85 years) adults, using passive and active recall tasks. Spatial working memory was assessed using a modified version of the Spatial Span subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale - Third Edition (WMS-III; Wechsler, 1998). Across both age groups, the effects of interference (control, visual, or spatial), and recall type (forward and backward), were investigated. There was a clear effect of age group, with younger adults demonstrating a larger spatial working memory capacity than the older adults overall. There was also a specific effect of interference, with the spatial interference task (spatial tapping) reliably reducing performance relative to both the control and visual interference (dynamic visual noise) conditions in both age groups and both recall types. This suggests that younger and older adults have similar dependence upon active spatial rehearsal, and that both forward and backward recall require this processing capacity. Linear regression analyses were then carried out within each age group, to assess the predictors of performance in each recall format (forward and backward). Specifically the backward recall task was significantly predicted by age, within both the younger and older adult groups. This finding supports previous literature showing lifespan linear declines in spatial-sequential working memory, and in working memory tasks from other domains, but contrasts with previous evidence that backward spatial span is no more sensitive to aging than forward span. The study suggests that backward spatial span is indeed more processing-intensive than forward span, even when both tasks include a retention period, and that age predicts

Aging Work Force Brings New Look at Teacher Retirement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auriemma, Frank V.; And Others

1992-01-01

Higher salaries and improved working conditions have combined to make teaching a more attractive profession and to reduce teacher turnover rates. At the same time, however, the teaching work force has aged and faces problems in retirement programs. All levels of government should work with interested groups to find solutions to six major problems…

Age and Gender Differences in Adolescents' Homework Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kackar, Hayal Z.; Shumow, Lee; Schmidt, Jennifer A.; Grzetich, Janel

2011-01-01

Extant data collected through the Experience Sampling Method were analyzed to describe adolescents' subjective experiences of homework. Analyses explored age and gender differences in the time adolescents spend doing homework, and the situational variations (location and companions) in adolescents' reported concentration, effort, interest,…

The Working Experience. Teacher's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Jeanne H.; Ringel, Harry

A teacher's manual is presented for "The Working Experience," a series of three texts for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students. The series builds on oral skills to develop reading and writing ability while still expanding oral English-language proficiency. Because one of the basic principles underlying the series is the idea that students…

Work experience, job-fulfillment and burnout among VMMC providers in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Perry, Linnea; Rech, Dino; Mavhu, Webster; Frade, Sasha; Machaku, Michael D; Onyango, Mathews; Aduda, Dickens S Omondi; Fimbo, Bennett; Cherutich, Peter; Castor, Delivette; Njeuhmeli, Emmanuel; Bertrand, Jane T

2014-01-01

Human resource capacity is vital to the scale-up of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) services. VMMC providers are at risk of "burnout" from performing a single task repeatedly in a high volume work environment that produces long work hours and intense work effort. The Systematic Monitoring of the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Scale-up (SYMMACS) surveyed VMMC providers in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe in 2011 (n = 357) and 2012 (n = 591). Providers self-reported on their training, work experience, levels of job-fulfillment and work fatigue/burnout. Data analysis included a descriptive analysis of VMMC provider characteristics, and both bivariate and multivariate analyses of factors associated with provider work fatigue/burnout. In 2012, Kenyan providers had worked in VMMC for a median of 31 months compared to South Africa (10 months), Tanzania (15 months), and Zimbabwe (11 months). More than three-quarters (78 - 99%) of providers in all countries in 2012 reported that VMMC is a personally fulfilling job. However, 67% of Kenyan providers reported starting to experience work fatigue/burnout compared to South Africa (33%), Zimbabwe (17%), and Tanzania (15%). Despite the high level of work fatigue/burnout in Kenya, none of the measured factors (i.e., gender, age, full-time versus part-time status, length of service, number of operations performed, or cadre) were significantly associated with work fatigue/burnout in 2011. In 2012, logistic regression found increases in age (p<.05) and number of months working in VMMC (p<.01) were associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing work fatigue/burnout, while higher career total VMMCs decreased the likelihood of experiencing burnout. Given cross-country differences, further elucidation of cultural and other contextual factors that may influence provider burnout is required. Continuing to emphasize the contribution that providers make in the fight against HIV/AIDS is important.

The aging work force--helping employees navigate midlife.

PubMed

Leggett, Diane

2007-04-01

The baby-boom generation is aging and workplace demographics are changing. Employees in this age group are now middle-aged. Occupational health nurses are in a unique position to guide these individuals through decisions that can affect the years ahead. Individuals in midlife may experience both physical and psychological changes, including changing physical appearance, decreased stamina, loss of family or friends, and altered vision. In the workplace, annual assessments can include evaluations to address normal changes, personal expectations, and needed support, counseling, or referrals. Middle-aged men and women are at a predictable turning point in life that offers an opportunity for growth. Education in the workplace can assist these individuals as they adjust to changes in relationships, make health care decisions, and plan for retirement.

[Perspectives of work, age, health, and labor market participation in Germany].

PubMed

Hasselhorn, H M; Rauch, A

2013-03-01

The German population is aging and shrinking. This will have a significant impact on the labor market, because labor supply will start to shrink. Consequently, there is a need to develop additional labor market resources. In this setting, a crucial issue is the health and employment of the older working population. This article discusses--on the basis of nine articles in this special issue--the health of the working population in the context of work, age, and labor participation. It shows the diversity of morbidity in the work force in general and particularly in older age, and it identifies older labor force groups with good health and those with bad health. The latter shows that "working while having a bad state of health" is today's reality. Labor market participation is less dependent on health than on the "work ability" and/or the "motivation to work" of older workers. The employment dynamics of an aging population will be a key issue in future political debate. A reliable knowledge base is needed for proper discussion, judgment, and action in the economic, political, and social fields. Current research is often focused on subtopics or on subgroups; however, a network of all the related scientific disciplines and the establishment of new comprehensive research approaches are needed in this area.

Patients' experiences of the impact of chronic back pain on family life and work.

PubMed

De Souza, Lorraine; Frank, Andrew Oliver

2011-01-01

The emotional distress caused by pain is one of the most disruptive aspects of living with the condition. This study investigates how individuals experience pain and its consequences for family life and work. Unstructured interviews, using the 'Framework' approach with topic guide, were recorded and transcribed. Patients were sampled for age, sex, ethnicity and occupation from new referrals with spinal pain (SP) to a rheumatology outpatient clinic. Eleven patients (five males and six females) were interviewed in English (n = 9) or their preferred language (n = 2). Interviews were read in depth twice to identify the topics. Data were extracted in phrases and sentences using thematic content analysis. Emergent themes reported were relationships with: spouses and partners (n = 7), children/parents (n = 6), with other family and friends (n = 7) and work-related issues (n = 11). Patients valued support from family but expressed concerns about causing them worry. Work-related issues included physical and emotional efforts to keep working when in pain, fear of losing employment and financial problems. Patients expressed anxiety about how their pain affected other family members, regret at losing full work capacity and worry about financial consequences. The lived experience of chronic SP has ramifications that go beyond the individual, reaching into work and social relationships.

[GLIATILIN CORRECTION OF WORKING AND REFERENCE SPATIAL MEMORY IMPAIRMENT IN AGED RATS].

PubMed

Tyurenkov, I N; Volotova, E V; Kurkin, D V

2015-01-01

This work was aimed at evaluating the influence of gliatilin administration on the spatial memory in aged rats. Cognitive function and spatial memory in animals was evaluated using radial (8-beam) maze test. Errors of working spatial memory and reference memory were used as indicators of impaired cognitive function. It was found that aged (24-month) rats compared with younger (6-months) age group exhibited cognitive impairment, as manifested by deterioration of short- and long-term memory processes. Course administration of gliatilin in rats of the older age group at a dose of 100 mg/kg resulted in significant improvement of the working and reference spatial memory in aged rats.

Selection Experiments in the Penna Model for Biological Aging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medeiros, G.; Idiart, M. A.; de Almeida, R. M. C.

We consider the Penna model for biological aging to investigate correlations between early fertility and late life survival rates in populations at equilibrium. We consider inherited initial reproduction ages together with a reproduction cost translated in a probability that mother and offspring die at birth, depending on the mother age. For convenient sets of parameters, the equilibrated populations present genetic variability in what regards both genetically programmed death age and initial reproduction age. In the asexual Penna model, a negative correlation between early life fertility and late life survival rates naturally emerges in the stationary solutions. In the sexual Penna model, selection experiments are performed where individuals are sorted by initial reproduction age from the equilibrated populations and the separated populations are evolved independently. After a transient, a negative correlation between early fertility and late age survival rates also emerges in the sense that populations that start reproducing earlier present smaller average genetically programmed death age. These effects appear due to the age structure of populations in the steady state solution of the evolution equations. We claim that the same demographic effects may be playing an important role in selection experiments in the laboratory.

Social-emotional aspects of male escorting: experiences of men working for an agency.

PubMed

Smith, Michael D; Grov, Christian; Seal, David W; Bernhardt, Nicholas; McCall, Peter

2015-05-01

Social situations and emotional correlates associated with male sex work have not been well documented. Most of the research in this area focuses on sexual activity with little mention of other aspects of the job. Yet, research with female sex workers finds significant social and emotional components to sex work. The current study focused on how male sex workers (MSWs) perceived and adapted to the social-emotional aspects of their job. As part of a larger project examining MSWs working for a single escort agency, 40 men (M age, 22.3 years, 75 % Caucasian) located in the mid-Atlantic U.S. participated in semi-structured interviews. The agency owner was also interviewed. Participants reported a range of social and emotional factors regarding sex work and employed a variety of strategies to provide good customer service and adapt to negative experiences. For most, social support was inhibited due to fear of stigmatization that might result if participants disclosed sex work to significant others outside the agency. Instead, interactions within the agency provided core work-related social support for most MSWs. Emotional and relational tasks inherent to escort work grew easier with experience and negativity about the job declined. Our data suggested that socially connected individuals seemed to be more satisfied with sex work. Social and emotional requirements represented a significant but unanticipated component of male sex work to which escorts actively adapted. Escorting may be similar to other service occupations in terms of the social-emotional situations and skills involved.

Age-related decline of precision and binding in visual working memory.

PubMed

Peich, Muy-Cheng; Husain, Masud; Bays, Paul M

2013-09-01

Working memory declines with normal aging, but the nature of this impairment is debated. Studies based on detecting changes to arrays of visual objects have identified two possible components to age-related decline: a reduction in the number of items that can be stored, or a deficit in maintaining the associations (bindings) between individual object features. However, some investigations have reported intact binding with aging, and specific deficits arising only in Alzheimer's disease. Here, using a recently developed continuous measure of recall fidelity, we tested the precision with which adults of different ages could reproduce from memory the orientation and color of a probed array item. The results reveal a further component of cognitive decline: an age-related decrease in the resolution with which visual information can be maintained in working memory. This increase in recall variability with age was strongest under conditions of greater memory load. Moreover, analysis of the distribution of errors revealed that older participants were more likely to incorrectly report one of the unprobed items in memory, consistent with an age-related increase in misbinding. These results indicate a systematic decline with age in working memory resources that can be recruited to store visual information. The paradigm presented here provides a sensitive index of both memory resolution and feature binding, with the potential for assessing their modulation by interventions. The findings have implications for understanding the mechanisms underpinning working memory deficits in both health and disease.

Age-Related Decline of Precision and Binding in Visual Working Memory

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Working memory declines with normal aging, but the nature of this impairment is debated. Studies based on detecting changes to arrays of visual objects have identified two possible components to age-related decline: a reduction in the number of items that can be stored, or a deficit in maintaining the associations (bindings) between individual object features. However, some investigations have reported intact binding with aging, and specific deficits arising only in Alzheimer’s disease. Here, using a recently developed continuous measure of recall fidelity, we tested the precision with which adults of different ages could reproduce from memory the orientation and color of a probed array item. The results reveal a further component of cognitive decline: an age-related decrease in the resolution with which visual information can be maintained in working memory. This increase in recall variability with age was strongest under conditions of greater memory load. Moreover, analysis of the distribution of errors revealed that older participants were more likely to incorrectly report one of the unprobed items in memory, consistent with an age-related increase in misbinding. These results indicate a systematic decline with age in working memory resources that can be recruited to store visual information. The paradigm presented here provides a sensitive index of both memory resolution and feature binding, with the potential for assessing their modulation by interventions. The findings have implications for understanding the mechanisms underpinning working memory deficits in both health and disease. PMID:23978008

Women's postpartum maternity benefits and work experience.

PubMed

Gjerdingen, D K; McGovern, P M; Chaloner, K M; Street, H B

1995-10-01

This study was conducted to describe women's perceptions of their maternity leave policy and its implementation, maternity leave benefits, postpartum work experience, and factors that relate to returning to work. Surveys were mailed to 436 married, recently employed, first-time mothers at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months postpartum. Most respondents said they had written maternity leave policies they could understand, but they were not completely satisfied with their policies. The average 11.1-week maternity leave was considerably shorter than their 8-month ideal, and only 25.5% had the option of working part-time. A minority (35.8%) were allowed to use personal days to care for a sick infant. Most women were distressed about making child care arrangements. Compared with women who remained at home, those who returned to work complained of more respiratory, gynecologic, and breast symptoms. Relatively little is known about women's postpartum work experience. In this study, return to work after delivery was related to several demographic, occupational, and social factors and was associated with health problems and concerns about child care. With a majority of new mothers now returning to work, attention has recently been directed to factors that facilitate the merger of work and parenting roles. One such important factor is women's parental or maternity leave benefits, the focus of this study.

Night shift work at specific age ranges and chronic disease risk factors

PubMed Central

Ramin, Cody; Devore, Elizabeth E; Wang, Weike; Pierre-Paul, Jeffrey; Wegrzyn, Lani R; Schernhammer, Eva S

2014-01-01

Objectives We examined the association of night shift work history and age when night shift work was performed with cancer and cardiovascular disease risk factors among 54 724 women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) II. Methods We calculated age-adjusted and socioeconomic status-adjusted means and percentages for cancer and cardiovascular risk factors in 2009 across categories of night shift work history. We used multivariable-adjusted logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for key risk factors among 54 724 participants (72% ever shift workers). We further examined these associations by age (20–25, 26–35, 36– 45 and 46+ years) at which shift work was performed. Results Ever night shift workers had increased odds of obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2; OR=1.37, 95% CI 1.31 to 1.43); higher caffeine intake (≥131 mg/day; OR=1.16, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.22) and total calorie intake (≥1715 kcal/day; OR=1.09, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.13); current smoking (OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.42); and shorter sleep durations (≤7 h of sleep/day; OR=1.19, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.24) compared to never night shift workers. These estimates varied depending on age at which night work was performed, with a suggestion that night shift work before age 25 was associated with fewer risk factors compared to night shift work at older ages. Conclusions Our results indicate that night shift work may contribute to an adverse chronic disease risk profile, and that risk factors may vary depending on the age at which night shift work was performed. PMID:25261528

Experiences of occupational therapists returning to work after maternity leave.

PubMed

Parcsi, Lisa; Curtin, Michael

2013-08-01

Returning to work after maternity leave can be a challenging, anxious and fraught experience for women, and has been portrayed in the literature as a generally negative experience. Interestingly, although occupational therapists were predominantly women, no research was found focussing on their experiences of returning to work after maternity leave. The aim of this research was to gain an insight into occupational therapists' experiences of returning to work following maternity leave. Principles of interpretive phenomenological analysis were used to explore the individual experiences of six Australian occupational therapists returning to work after a period of maternity leave. Individual semi-structured interviews lasting up to 90 minutes were conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and then analysed. Two major themes emerged from the analysis of interviews: compromise and feeling valued. The experience of returning to work was a process of compromise in which women found strategies to cope with their changing roles and demands, to find a balance between home and work life. The women wanted to feel valued by their managers and co-workers, as this enabled them to feel comfortable and confident with some of the compromises they made. Occupational therapists returning to work after maternity leave will make compromises so that they can balance their home and work life. Occupational therapists value managers and co-workers who understand the compromises women make when returning to work following maternity leave and who create a supportive workplace that acknowledges and values their contribution. © 2013 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Interprofessional education in practice: Evaluation of a work integrated aged care program.

PubMed

Lawlis, Tanya; Wicks, Alison; Jamieson, Maggie; Haughey, Amy; Grealish, Laurie

2016-03-01

Health professional clinical education is commonly conducted in single discipline modes, thus limiting student collaboration skills. Aged care residential facilities, due to the chronic and complex health care needs of residents, provide an ideal placement to provide a collaborative experience. Interprofessional education is widely acknowledged as the pedagogical framework through which to facilitate collaboration. The aim of the evaluation was to assess student attitudes towards collaboration after active involvement in an interprofessional education program. Students studying nursing, occupational therapy, and aged care were invited to complete a version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale before and after participating in a three-week pilot interprofessional program. A positive change in student attitudes towards other health professionals and the importance of working in interprofessional teams was reported with significant differences between two statements indicated: Learning with health-care students before qualifications would improve relationships after qualifications; and I learned a lot from the students from the other disciplines. The innovative pilot project was found to enhance student learning in interprofessional teams and the aged care environment. Further development of this and similar interprofessional programs is required to develop sustainable student projects that have health benefits for residents in aged care residential facilities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Work and Career Experiences of Men from Families without College Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodside, Marianne; Gibbons, Melinda M.; Davison, John; Hannon, Christine; Sweeney, Jeffrey R.

2012-01-01

A dearth of research exists exploring the career and work development of adult men and the influence of family-of-origin on that development. In this qualitative study, the researchers used a phenomenological approach to examine the career and work experiences of men whose parents have no education beyond high school and the influences of family…

The Working After Cancer Study (WACS): a population-based study of middle-aged workers diagnosed with colorectal cancer and their return to work experiences.

PubMed

Gordon, Louisa G; Lynch, Brigid M; Beesley, Vanessa L; Graves, Nicholas; McGrath, Catherine; O'Rourke, Peter; Webb, Penelope M

2011-07-29

The number of middle-aged working individuals being diagnosed with cancer is increasing and so too will disruptions to their employment. The aim of the Working After Cancer Study is to examine the changes to work participation in the 12 months following a diagnosis of primary colorectal cancer. The study will identify barriers to work resumption, describe limitations on workforce participation, and evaluate the influence of these factors on health-related quality of life. An observational population-based study has been designed involving 260 adults newly-diagnosed with colorectal cancer between January 2010 and September 2011 and who were in paid employment at the time they were diagnosed. These cancer cases will be compared to a nationally representative comparison group of 520 adults with no history of cancer from the general population. Eligible cases will have a histologically confirmed diagnosis of colorectal cancer and will be identified through the Queensland Cancer Registry. Data on the comparison group will be drawn from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. Data collection for the cancer group will occur at 6 and 12 months after diagnosis, with work questions also asked about the time of diagnosis, while retrospective data on the comparison group will be come from HILDA Waves 2009 and 2010. Using validated instruments administered via telephone and postal surveys, data will be collected on socio-demographic factors, work status and circumstances, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for both groups while the cases will have additional data collected on cancer treatment and symptoms, work productivity and cancer-related HRQoL. Primary outcomes include change in work participation at 12 months, time to work re-entry, work limitations and change in HRQoL status. This study will address the reasons for work cessation after cancer, the mechanisms people use to remain working and existing workplace support structures and

Perioperative Nurses' Work Experience With Robotic Surgery: A Focus Group Study.

PubMed

Kang, Min Jung; De Gagne, Jennie C; Kang, Hee Sun

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to explore the work experience of perioperative nurses involved in robotic surgery. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Participants were 15 nurses who had been on a robotic surgery team at one of five major university hospitals in Seoul, South Korea. Participants were one male and 14 female nurses (mean age, 31.33 [SD, 4.19] years; range, 25-41 years). Their experience as robotic surgery nurses ranged from 8 months to 6 years. Nurses' experiences with robotic surgery were categorized within four main themes: (1) constant checking on patients' safety and the robot's functions; (2) unexpected robotic machine errors or malfunctions; (3) feelings of burden in a robotic surgical team; and (4) need and desire for more information and education. This study showed that there are common concerns about patient safety and the possibility of emergencies related to robot system failure among nurses. Offering more support for nurses involved in robotic surgery should be a priority to empower them to play an extended role in robotic surgery.

Ageing and feature binding in visual working memory: The role of presentation time.

PubMed

Rhodes, Stephen; Parra, Mario A; Logie, Robert H

2016-01-01

A large body of research has clearly demonstrated that healthy ageing is accompanied by an associative memory deficit. Older adults exhibit disproportionately poor performance on memory tasks requiring the retention of associations between items (e.g., pairs of unrelated words). In contrast to this robust deficit, older adults' ability to form and temporarily hold bound representations of an object's surface features, such as colour and shape, appears to be relatively well preserved. However, the findings of one set of experiments suggest that older adults may struggle to form temporary bound representations in visual working memory when given more time to study objects. However, these findings were based on between-participant comparisons across experimental paradigms. The present study directly assesses the role of presentation time in the ability of younger and older adults to bind shape and colour in visual working memory using a within-participant design. We report new evidence that giving older adults longer to study memory objects does not differentially affect their immediate memory for feature combinations relative to individual features. This is in line with a growing body of research suggesting that there is no age-related impairment in immediate memory for colour-shape binding.

Leadership and the psychosocial work environment in old age care.

PubMed

Lundgren, Dan; Ernsth-Bravell, Marie; Kåreholt, Ingemar

2016-03-01

To study leadership factors and their associations with psychosocial work environmental among nursing assistants who are engaged in old age care and to analyse (i) differences in the assessment of leadership factors and the assessment of psychosocial work environmental in nursing homes and home help services and (ii) the association between the psychosocial work environment and factors that are related to leadership in nursing homes and home help services. Leadership factors are an important element of the psychosocial work environment in old age care. The physical distance between leaders and nursing assistants is larger in home help services than in nursing homes. Therefore, it is important to study leadership separately in nursing homes and home help services. Assessments from 844 nursing assistants in nursing homes and 288 in home help services (45 nursing homes and 21 home help service units) were analysed. The data were analysed using linear regression. Age, gender, number of staff at the unit, number of years at the current working unit and educational level were controlled in Model 1. Summarised indexes that were based on all independent variables except the main independent variable were additionally controlled in Model 2. Psychosocial work environment was related to leadership factors, but stronger associations occurred more frequently in nursing homes than in home help services. Empowering leadership, support from superiors, the primacy of human resources and control over decisions were associated with higher assessments on all the variables that were related to the psychosocial work environment in both the nursing homes and home help services. Organisational differences in conducting leadership in old age care must be considered. Some leadership characteristics are better prerequisites for creating and maintaining a positive psychosocial work environment for nursing assistants in nursing homes and home help services. Due to the differences in

Emotional Experience Improves With Age: Evidence Based on Over 10 Years of Experience Sampling

PubMed Central

Carstensen, Laura L.; Turan, Bulent; Scheibe, Susanne; Ram, Nilam; Ersner-Hershfield, Hal; Samanez-Larkin, Gregory R.; Brooks, Kathryn P.; Nesselroade, John R.

2012-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that emotional well-being improves from early adulthood to old age. This study used experience-sampling to examine the developmental course of emotional experience in a representative sample of adults spanning early to very late adulthood. Participants (N = 184, Wave 1; N = 191, Wave 2; N = 178, Wave 3) reported their emotional states at five randomly selected times each day for a one week period. Using a measurement burst design, the one-week sampling procedure was repeated five and then ten years later. Cross-sectional and growth curve analyses indicate that aging is associated with more positive overall emotional well-being, with greater emotional stability and with more complexity (as evidenced by greater co-occurrence of positive and negative emotions). These findings remained robust after accounting for other variables that may be related to emotional experience (personality, verbal fluency, physical health, and demographic variables). Finally, emotional experience predicted mortality; controlling for age, sex, and ethnicity, individuals who experienced relatively more positive than negative emotions in everyday life were more likely to have survived over a 13 year period. Findings are discussed in the theoretical context of socioemotional selectivity theory. PMID:20973600

Impact of Age and Hearing Impairment on Work Performance during Long Working Hours

PubMed Central

Grossi, Nina R.; Kallus, K. Wolfgang

2018-01-01

Based on demographic prognoses, it must be assumed that a greater number of older workers will be found in the future labor market. How to deal with their possible age-related impairments of sensory functions, like hearing impairment and work performance during extended working time, has not been addressed explicitly until now. The study addresses this interplay. The study was performed on two consecutive days after normal working hours. The 55 participants had to “work” in the study at least three additional hours to simulate a situation of long working hours. The tested measures for (job) performance were: general attention, long-term selective attention, concentration, and reaction time. All of the investigated variables were taken at both days of the study (2 × 2 × 2 repeated measurement design). The results show effects for age, the interaction of hearing impairment and time of measurement, and effects of the measurement time. Older participants reacted slower than younger participants did. Furthermore, younger participants reacted more frequently in a correct way. Hearing impairment seems to have a negative impact especially on measures of false reactions, and therefore especially on measurement time 1. The results can be interpreted in a way that hearing-impaired participants are able to compensate their deficits over time. PMID:29315260

Work time control and mental health of workers working long hours: the role of gender and age.

PubMed

Zołnierczyk-Zreda, Dorota; Bedyńska, Sylwia; Warszewska-Makuch, Magdalena

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between work time control and mental health in workers working long hours. The study also attempted to show how that relationship depended on age and gender. Three hundred and six white-collar workers doing clerical work for over 8 h daily were diagnosed on work time control and mental health with the 28-item General Health Questionnaire. The results of an analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that participants working long hours but having high control over their work time had a significantly higher level of their mental health with regard to somatic complaints and anxiety and marginally higher with regard to social dysfunction than workers with low control over their work time. Male and female workers reported different problems with their mental health depending on what age (stage of life) they were at. It is hypothesized that the work-family conflict, inability to fulfil social commitments and poor working conditions can influence those effects.

Estrogen Restores Multisynaptic Boutons in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex while Promoting Working Memory in Aged Rhesus Monkeys.

PubMed

Hara, Yuko; Yuk, Frank; Puri, Rishi; Janssen, William G M; Rapp, Peter R; Morrison, John H

2016-01-20

Humans and nonhuman primates are vulnerable to age- and menopause- related decline in working memory, a cognitive function reliant on area 46 of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). We showed previously that presynaptic mitochondrial number and morphology in monkey dlPFC neurons correlate with working memory performance. The current study tested the hypothesis that the types of synaptic connections these boutons form are altered with aging and menopause in rhesus monkeys and that these metrics may be coupled with mitochondrial measures and working memory. Using serial section electron microscopy, we examined the frequencies and characteristics of nonsynaptic, single-synaptic, and multisynaptic boutons (MSBs) in the dlPFC. In contrast to our previous observations in the monkey hippocampal dentate gyrus, where MSBs comprised ∼40% of boutons, the vast majority of dlPFC boutons were single-synaptic, whereas MSBs constituted a mere 10%. The frequency of MSBs was not altered by normal aging, but decreased by over 50% with surgical menopause induced by ovariectomy in aged monkeys. Cyclic estradiol treatment in aged ovariectomized animals restored MSB frequencies to levels comparable to young and aged premenopausal monkeys. Notably, the frequency of MSBs positively correlated with working memory scores, as measured by the average accuracy on the delayed response (DR) test. Furthermore, MSB incidence positively correlated with the number of healthy straight mitochondria in dlPFC boutons and inversely correlated with the number of pathological donut-shaped mitochondria. Together, our data suggest that MSBs are coupled to cognitive function and mitochondrial health and are sensitive to estrogen. Significance statement: Many aged menopausal individuals experience deficits in working memory, an executive function reliant on recurrent firing of prefrontal cortex (PFC) neurons. However, little is known about the organization of presynaptic inputs to these neurons and how

Infusing and sustaining aging content in social work education: findings from GeroRich projects.

PubMed

Hash, Kristina M; Gottlieb, Jody; Harper-Dorton, Karen V; Crawley-Woods, Geraldine; Shelek-Furbee, Katherine; Smith, John David; Brown, Rita

2007-01-01

This article presents findings from experiences of 67 projects involved in GeroRich, an initiative funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation designed to infuse, enrich and sustain aging content in BSW and MSW curricula. Thematic qualitative analysis was used to uncover themes in answers to open-ended questions contained in End-of-Year 2 project reports. Content areas addressed by open-ended answers were: (1) successes and innovations, and (2) challenges requiring responses. Primary successes and innovations identified were as follows: curriculum enrichment, faculty and student involvement, student-learning activities and community. Challenges to be responded to were identified as lack of faculty involvement, competing demands on faculty and programs, and sustainability of project efforts. Examples of strategies implemented to overcome these obstacles include providing teaching resources, instituting financial and other supports, and developing strategic plans for sustaining content infusion post-funding. Experiences of the GeroRich projects offer practical considerations for other social work programs that accept the challenge of attracting and preparing students to work with the increasing population of older adults.

Night shift work at specific age ranges and chronic disease risk factors.

PubMed

Ramin, Cody; Devore, Elizabeth E; Wang, Weike; Pierre-Paul, Jeffrey; Wegrzyn, Lani R; Schernhammer, Eva S

2015-02-01

We examined the association of night shift work history and age when night shift work was performed with cancer and cardiovascular disease risk factors among 54 724 women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) II. We calculated age-adjusted and socioeconomic status-adjusted means and percentages for cancer and cardiovascular risk factors in 2009 across categories of night shift work history. We used multivariable-adjusted logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for key risk factors among 54 724 participants (72% ever shift workers). We further examined these associations by age (20-25, 26-35, 36-45 and 46+ years) at which shift work was performed. Ever night shift workers had increased odds of obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m(2); OR=1.37, 95% CI 1.31 to 1.43); higher caffeine intake (≥131 mg/day; OR=1.16, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.22) and total calorie intake (≥1715 kcal/day; OR=1.09, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.13); current smoking (OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.42); and shorter sleep durations (≤7 h of sleep/day; OR=1.19, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.24) compared to never night shift workers. These estimates varied depending on age at which night work was performed, with a suggestion that night shift work before age 25 was associated with fewer risk factors compared to night shift work at older ages. Our results indicate that night shift work may contribute to an adverse chronic disease risk profile, and that risk factors may vary depending on the age at which night shift work was performed. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Aging and Work Ability: The Moderating Role of Job and Personal Resources

PubMed Central

Converso, Daniela; Sottimano, Ilaria; Guidetti, Gloria; Loera, Barbara; Cortini, Michela; Viotti, Sara

2018-01-01

Objective: Demographic changes involving western countries and later retirements due to the recent pension reforms induce a gradual aging of the workforce. This imply an increasing number of workers with health problems and a decreasing of ability to work. In this direction, the present study aims at examining the role of job and personal resources between age and work ability within nurses. Method: The study was cross-sectional and not randomized; data were collected by a self-report questionnaire during a multi-center survey conducted in two Italian hospitals in 2016. In this way, 333 nurses were reached. Results: Multiple linear regression showed that age is significantly and negatively associated to work ability, and that job resources (e.g., decision authority and meaning of work) and personal resources (e.g., hope and resilience) moderate the relationship between age and work ability. Discussion: These results highlight that investing in work and personal resources to support WA is even more relevant for those professions where high physical effort is required. PMID:29367848

Working, sex partner age differences, and sexual behavior among African American youth.

PubMed

Bauermeister, José A; Zimmerman, Marc; Xue, Yange; Gee, Gilbert C; Caldwell, Cleopatra H

2009-10-01

Participation in the workplace has been proposed as a potential structural-level HIV/STI prevention strategy for youth. Only a few cross-sectional studies have explored the effect of work during adolescence and young adulthood on sexual behavior and their results have been mixed. This study builds on this literature by exploring whether work influences youths' sexual behavior in a cohort of African American youth (N = 562; 45% males; M = 14.5 years, SD = 0.6) followed from adolescence to young adulthood (ages 13-25 years). Using growth curve modeling, we tested whether working was associated with older sex partners. Then, we explored the association between sex partner age differences and sexual behaviors (i.e., number of sex partners, condom use, and frequency of sexual intercourse). Finally, we tested whether the relationship between sex partner age differences and sexual behaviors was confounded by working. Working greater number of hours was not significantly associated with having older sex partners. Sex partner age differences was associated with number of partners, condom use, and higher sex frequency. These associations were larger for females. Working was associated with higher sex frequency, after accounting for age differences. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research and program planning, particularly in the context of youth development programs.

Cohort profile: The lidA Cohort Study—a German Cohort Study on Work, Age, Health and Work Participation

PubMed Central

Hasselhorn, Hans Martin; Peter, Richard; Rauch, Angela; Schröder, Helmut; Swart, Enno; Bender, Stefan; du Prel, Jean-Baptist; Ebener, Melanie; March, Stefanie; Trappmann, Mark; Steinwede, Jacob; Müller, Bernd Hans

2014-01-01

The lidA Cohort Study (German Cohort Study on Work, Age, Health and Work Participation) was set up to investigate and follow the effects of work and work context on the physical and psychological health of the ageing workforce in Germany and subsequently on work participation. Cohort participants are initially employed people subject to social security contributions and born in either 1959 (n = 2909) or 1965 (n = 3676). They were personally interviewed in their homes in 2011 and will be visited every 3 years. Data collection comprises socio-demographic data, work and private exposures, work ability, work and work participation attitudes, health, health-related behaviour, personality and attitudinal indicators. Employment biographies are assessed using register data. Subjective health reports and physical strength measures are complemented by health insurance claims data, where permission was given. A conceptual framework has been developed for the lidA Cohort Study within which three confirmatory sub-models assess the interdependencies of work and health considering age, gender and socioeconomic status. The first set of the data will be available to the scientific community by 2015. Access will be given by the Research Data Centre of the German Federal Employment Agency at the Institute for Employment Research (http://fdz.iab.de/en.aspx). PMID:24618186

A Qualitative Study on Working Experience of Rural Doctors in Malappuram District of Kerala, India

PubMed Central

Vallikunnu, Vinod; Kumar, S. Ganesh; Sarkar, Sonali; Kar, Sitanshu Sekhar; Harichandrakumar, K. T.

2014-01-01

Background: Improving the working conditions of rural doctors is an important issue to increase the quality of health services to target groups. Objectives: To assess the working experience of rural doctors at primary health care level. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted among 30 medical officers from 21 primary health centers in Malappuram district of Kerala, India. In-depth interview was conducted, and content analysis was performed with the identification of themes based on the responses obtained. Results: There were 19 males and 11 females belonged to 25 to 55 years age group. About 70% (21) of them were graduates with MBBS qualification, and the rest were postgraduates. About 2/3rd of them (20) had experience of less than 5 years. They expressed difficulty in managing the work in stipulated time period. However, this had never affected their OP management in anyway. They told that higher authorities were supportive, but they faced some opposition from the public in implementation of national program. Few opined that the training received was grossly insufficient in running the administrative affairs of the health center. Most of them satisfied with physical infrastructure, but manpower including medical officers and supporting staff were not sufficient. Some opined that the age of retirement is too early and should be increased. They participated in Continuing Medical Education, but expressed that it's content should suit to primary health care level. Conclusion: This study highlighted their concern to patient care and time, field work, administrative work, infrastructure, professional development, and future prospects. Further large scale evaluation studies will explore the situational analysis of it. PMID:25161972

NASA Work Experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frandsen, Athela F.

2015-01-01

I have had the opportunity to support the analytical laboratories in chemical analysis of unknown samples, using Optical Microscopy (OM), Polarizing Light Microscopy (PLM), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEMEDS), and X-ray Powder Diffraction (XPD). I have assisted in characterizing fibers pulled from a spacecraft, a white fibrous residue discovered in a jet refueler truck, brown residue from a plant habitat slated for delivery to the ISS (International Space Station), corrosion on a pipe from a sprinkler, and air filtration material brought back from the ISS. I also conducted my own fiber study in order to practice techniques and further my understanding of background concepts. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to participate in diverse work assignments, where I was assigned to work with other branches of the engineering department for 1-2 days each. The first was in the Materials Science branch where I participated in the construction of the plant habitat intended for use in research aboard the ISS. The second was in the Testing Design branch where I assisted with tensile and hardness testing of over 40 samples. In addition, I have had the privilege to attend multiple tours of the NASA KSC campus, including to the Astronaut Crew Quarters, the VAB (the main area, the Columbia room, and the catwalk), the Visitor Center housing the shuttle Atlantis, the Saturn-V exhibit, the Prototype laboratory, SWAMP WORKS, the Shuttle Landing Facility, the Crawler, and the Booster Fabrication Facility (BFF). Lastly, much of my coursework prepared me for this experience, including numerous laboratory courses with topics diverse as chemistry, physics, and biology.

A controlled experiment to evaluate the impact of summer research experiences on attitudes towards science in high school aged students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, M. A.; Tcherednichenko, I.; Hamar, M.; Taylor, M. J.; Litizzette, L.

2006-12-01

United States funding agencies increasingly are supporting activities designed to increase the enrollment of United States high school students in science, math, or engineering careers. However, in many cases, the likely outcomes of educational activities are unknown. A common approach within the physical and natural sciences is to provide high school aged students with a summer research experience, with the expectation that such experiences will increase student interest in science, possibly as a career choice. With funding support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration New Investigator Grant program, we conducted a controlled experiment to test this assumption. In collaboration with Mountain Crest High School in Logan, UT, we recruited 40 students currently enrolled in science courses, assessed attitudes towards science (with informed consent), and randomly assigned 20 students to a control group and 20 students to an experimental group. Students in the experimental group were paired with faculty and graduate students in a wide range of field and laboratory research groups in natural resources and biology. Students were employed in at least two different research groups for an average of 30-40 hours per week for eight weeks in the summer of 2006. Following the completion of the summer work experience, we again assessed attitudes towards science in both groups and gathered additional information from the experimental group on satisfaction with the work experience and reasons for participating. Results are presented and discussed.

Cancer survivorship and return to work: UK occupational physician experience.

PubMed

Amir, Ziv; Wynn, Philip; Whitaker, Stuart; Luker, Karen

2009-09-01

Survivorship following diagnosis of cancer is increasing in prevalence. However, cancer survivors continue to report difficulty re-entering the workplace after diagnosis and treatment. To survey UK occupational health physicians (OHPs) regarding their role in rehabilitation of employed survivors of cancer. Following a pilot study, a questionnaire exploring opinions of OHPs regarding supporting cancer survivors' return to work was posted to all members of the UK Society of Occupational Medicine, with a repeat posting 2 months later. Responses were analyzed for significant correlations with OHP age, sex, qualification level, size of businesses advised and years of experience. There were 797 respondents (response rate 51%). Responses suggested opportunities for developing the knowledge base in relation to prognosis and functional outcomes in patients with a cancer diagnosis; instituting information resources on cancer and work for OHPs and developing communications skills training. Most respondents felt managers treated referral to occupational health (OH) differently for employees with cancer compared with management referral for employees with other diagnoses, with 45% of respondents indicating referral may take place too late to be effective in securing a return to work. A significant lack of understanding of the information requirements of employers and the role of OH by treating doctors was identified. This survey raises several possible significant barriers to return to work by cancer survivors. Recommendations to ameliorate these are made.

Work Experience, Job-Fulfillment and Burnout among VMMC Providers in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

Perry, Linnea; Rech, Dino; Mavhu, Webster; Frade, Sasha; Machaku, Michael D.; Onyango, Mathews; Aduda, Dickens S. Omondi.; Fimbo, Bennett; Cherutich, Peter; Castor, Delivette; Njeuhmeli, Emmanuel; Bertrand, Jane T.

2014-01-01

Background Human resource capacity is vital to the scale-up of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) services. VMMC providers are at risk of “burnout” from performing a single task repeatedly in a high volume work environment that produces long work hours and intense work effort. Methods and findings The Systematic Monitoring of the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Scale-up (SYMMACS) surveyed VMMC providers in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe in 2011 (n = 357) and 2012 (n = 591). Providers self-reported on their training, work experience, levels of job-fulfillment and work fatigue/burnout. Data analysis included a descriptive analysis of VMMC provider characteristics, and both bivariate and multivariate analyses of factors associated with provider work fatigue/burnout. In 2012, Kenyan providers had worked in VMMC for a median of 31 months compared to South Africa (10 months), Tanzania (15 months), and Zimbabwe (11 months). More than three-quarters (78 – 99%) of providers in all countries in 2012 reported that VMMC is a personally fulfilling job. However, 67% of Kenyan providers reported starting to experience work fatigue/burnout compared to South Africa (33%), Zimbabwe (17%), and Tanzania (15%). Despite the high level of work fatigue/burnout in Kenya, none of the measured factors (i.e., gender, age, full-time versus part-time status, length of service, number of operations performed, or cadre) were significantly associated with work fatigue/burnout in 2011. In 2012, logistic regression found increases in age (p<.05) and number of months working in VMMC (p<.01) were associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing work fatigue/burnout, while higher career total VMMCs decreased the likelihood of experiencing burnout. Conclusion Given cross-country differences, further elucidation of cultural and other contextual factors that may influence provider burnout is required. Continuing to emphasize the contribution that providers

Age-related patterns in work-related injury claims from older New Zealanders, 2009-2013: Implications of injury for an aging workforce.

PubMed

Lilley, Rebbecca; Jaye, Chrystal; Davie, Gabrielle; Keeling, Sally; Waters, Debra; Egan, Richard

2018-01-01

This study describes the incidence, nature and cause of work-related injuries in older New Zealand workers to understand the risks of work-related injury in this rapidly aging population. Data for the period 2009-2013 from 25,455 injured workers aged 55-79 years, extracted from national work-related injury entitlement claims, were stratified by age group and analysed by sex, industry, injury type and cause. Age-specific claims rates were calculated by year, sex and ethnicity. Patterns of injury differed by age: 70-79 year olds had the highest injury rates and proportion of claims due to falls (45%), for the self-employed (32%), for the agriculture sector (24%), and for fatal injuries (5%). The burden of work-related injuries in older workers, particularly in those aged over 70, will increase with their increasing participation in work. Workplace injury prevention strategies and interventions need to consider the specific characteristics and vulnerabilities of older workers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Awkward or Amazing: Gender and Age Trends in First Intercourse Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Jennifer L.; Ward, L. Monique; Caruthers, Allison; Merriwether, Ann

2011-01-01

Although research continues to highlight significant gender differences in first coital experiences, developmental approaches suggest that some of these patterns may be age-related. Therefore, this study investigated both gender and age differences in first intercourse experiences. Open-ended responses regarding reasons for, and descriptions of,…

Is the competence of Swedish Registered Nurses working in municipal care of older people merely a question of age and postgraduate education?

PubMed

Karlstedt, Michaela; Wadensten, Barbro; Fagerberg, Ingegerd; Pöder, Ulrika

2015-06-01

Previous studies suggest that not only education but also personal aspects such as experience of working as a registered nurse (RN) and age can influence competence. The objective was to explore the educational and self-rated competence of RNs and their duties within the care of older people. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used. All RNs in two counties in Sweden were asked to complete a written questionnaire: a study specific questionnaire with educational and work related questions using the Nurse Competence Scale. The response rate was 61% (n 344). Higher self-rated satisfaction with own professional competence was related to older age, more years after nursing education and possessing at least one postgraduate education in specialist nursing. Educational needs were related to younger age and fewer years since nursing graduation. Education within elder care, including education about drugs was rated the most urgently needed area of education. The most frequently reported tasks were found in the domain helping role, whereas ensuring quality was less present in their daily work. Educational level, age and years of experience had an impact on RNs' self-perceived competence, which is in accordance with previous descriptions of the concept competence. It seems imperative that RNs working in care of the old and with the demands placed on them are given the opportunity to take a postgraduate specialist education in order to gain a competence level in their desired area of work. It is also important that RNs working in care of the old get tailored education in line with the requirements the organisation places on them. © 2014 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Gender, aging, and work: aging workers' strategies to confront the demands of production in maquiladora plants in nogales, Mexico.

PubMed

Adarga, Mireya Scarone; Becerril, Leonor Cedillo; Champion, Catalina Denman

2010-01-01

This work is part of a qualitative socio-cultural investigation with a group of men and women 40 years and older in the maquila export industry in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. In 1994, as a result of the North American Free Trade Agreement, maquila plants combined traditional intensive work methods with new "just in time" production norms that impacted work and health conditions, particularly in older, or aging, workers. The workers that were interviewed for this study show a reduction in their functional ability to work starting at 40 years of age. Work organization demands, general health conditions, and a decrease in physical abilities brings these 40-year-old workers to prematurely construct an image of themselves as aging workers and to develop coping strategies that vary by gender.

Working, Sex Partner Age Differences, and Sexual Behavior among African American Youth

PubMed Central

Bauermeister, José A.; Zimmerman, Marc; Xue, Yange; Gee, Gilbert C.; Caldwell, Cleopatra H.

2009-01-01

Participation in the workplace has been proposed as a potential structural-level HIV/STI prevention strategy for youth. Only a few cross-sectional studies have explored the effect of work during adolescence and young adulthood on sexual behavior and their results have been mixed. This study builds on this literature by exploring whether work influences youths’ sexual behavior in a cohort of African American youth [N = 562; 45% males; M = 14.5 years, SD = 0.6] followed from adolescence to young adulthood (ages 13 to 25). Using growth curve modeling, we tested whether working was associated with older sex partners. Then, we explored the association between sex partner age differences and sexual behaviors (i.e., number of sex partners, condom use, and frequency of sexual intercourse). Finally, we tested whether the relationship between sex partner age differences and sexual behaviors was confounded by working. Working greater number of hours was not significantly associated with having older sex partners. Sex partner age differences was associated with number of partners, condom use, and and higher sex frequency. These associations were larger for females. Working was associated with higher sex frequency, after accounting for age differences. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research and program planning, particularly in the context of youth development programs. PMID:18574686

Employment, work hours and weight gain among middle-aged women.

PubMed

Au, N; Hauck, K; Hollingsworth, B

2013-05-01

To investigate the influence of employment and work hours on weight gain and weight loss among middle-aged women. Quantile regression techniques were used to estimate the influence of employment and hours worked on percentage weight change over 2 years across the entire distribution of weight change in a cohort of middle-aged women. A range of controls was included in the models to isolate the effect of work status. A total of 9276 women aged 45-50 years at baseline who were present in both the 1996 and 1998 surveys of the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women's Health. The women were a representative sample of the Australian population. Being out of the labour force or unemployed was associated with lower weight gain and higher weight loss than being employed. The association was stronger at low to moderate levels of weight gain. Among employed women, working regular (35-40), long (41-48) or very long (49+) hours was associated with increasingly higher levels of weight gain compared with working part-time hours. The association was stronger for women with greater weight gain overall. The association between unemployment and weight change became insignificant when health status was controlled for. Employment was associated with more weight gain and less weight loss. Among the employed, working longer hours was associated with more weight gain, especially at the higher levels of weight gain where the health consequences are more serious. These findings suggest that as women work longer hours they are more likely to make lifestyle choices that are associated with weight gain.

An analysis of crash likelihood : age versus driving experience

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-05-01

The study was designed to determine the crash likelihood of drivers in Michigan as a function of two independent variables: driver age and driving experience. The age variable had eight levels (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 years old) and the ex...

Recollective experience in odor recognition: influences of adult age and familiarity.

PubMed

Larsson, Maria; Oberg, Christina; Bäckman, Lars

2006-01-01

We examined recollective experience in odor memory as a function of age, intention to learn, and familiarity. Young and older adults studied a set of familiar and unfamiliar odors with incidental or intentional encoding instructions. At recognition, participants indicated whether their response was based on explicit recollection (remembering), a feeling of familiarity (knowing), or guessing. The results indicated no age-related differences in the distribution of experiential responses for unfamiliar odors. By contrast, for familiar odors the young demonstrated more explicit recollection than the older adults, who produced more "know" and "guess" responses. Intention to learn was unrelated to recollective experience. In addition, the observed age differences in "remember" responses for familiar odors were eliminated when odor naming was statistically controlled. This suggests that age-related deficits in activating specific odor knowledge (i.e., odor names) play an important role for age differences in recollective experience of olfactory information.

Will I be able to do my work at 60? An analysis of working conditions that hinder active ageing.

PubMed

Barros, Carla; Carnide, Filomena; Cunha, Liliana; Santos, Marta; Silva, Catarina

2015-01-01

Most developed countries have considered population ageing as one of the economic challenges that need to be overcome. Managing ageing has led to consideration of a number of policies where it is essential to increase the employment rate for older workers. This study aims to analyze the working conditions which tend to be perceived as hindering continuity in the workplace at the age of 60. 1234 workers from different sectors and socio-professional categories (52% men and 48% women; 64.5% younger than 45 years old). A quantitative overview was adopted with the use of logistic regression models. The INSAT was used (Work and Health Questionnaire). Apart from factors of great physical constraint, other less visible aspects play a role in the idea of workers not being able to continue to work by the age of 60, namely factors linked to work organizational options and relationships with others. Working conditions have a great influence in the idea of inability to perform the same type of work at 60. This notion does not only apply to older workers. In fact, even younger workers under certain working conditions hold the same view, thus raising social concerns that should be taken into account by public policies.

Does pain deteriorate working life expectancy in aging workers?

PubMed

Lee, Wanhyung; Hong, Kwanyoung; Lim, Sung-Shil; Yoon, Jin-Ha

2016-11-29

Many aging workers wish to continue working as long as they can for a better life in the future. However, symptoms of pain are a key obstacle in the continuation of work among older workers. The impact of pain on work is understudied. Thus, we investigated the relationship between pain characteristics (total site and severity) and aging workers' working life expectancy scale (WoLES) in Korea. We included 1,979 participants (1,175 men and 804 women) from a well-established survey of a nationally representative population: the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing. A self-questionnaire was used to assess pain characteristics and WoLES. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the lower-WoLES group were calculated using multiple logistic regression models. Compared with the absence of pain, ORs and 95% CIs of the lower-WoLES group were increased, as follows: 1 pain site, 1.75 (1.20-2.55); 2 pain sites, 1.99 (1.32-3.03); 3 or more pain sites, 2.28 (1.51-3.42); mild pain, 1.74 (1.32-2.61); moderate pain, 2.02 (1.28-3.22); and severe pain, 2.12 (1.46-3.08). The statistical trend was significant in both total sites and severity of pain (p<0.001). There was a significant association between WoLES and both total pain sites and severity of pain, even after adjusting for potential confounding factors.

Communication, support and psychosocial work environment affecting psychological distress among working women aged 20 to 39 years in Japan

PubMed Central

HONDA, Ayumi; DATE, Yutaka; ABE, Yasuyo; AOYAGI, Kiyoshi; HONDA, Sumihisa

2015-01-01

When compared with their older counterparts, younger women are more likely to have depressive symptoms because they more often experience interrupted work history and a heavy childrearing burden. The purposes of the present study were 1) to investigate the possible association of psychosocial work environment with psychological distress and 2) to examine the way by which communication and support in the workplace affect to psychological distress among young women. We studied 198 women aged 20 to 39 yr in a cross-sectional study. The Kessler Scale-10 (K10 Scale) was used to examine psychological distress. In employees who experienced interpersonal conflict, those who had little or no conversations with their supervisor and/or co-workers had a significantly increased risk of psychological distress (OR, 4.2), and those who received little or no support from their supervisor and/or co-workers had a significantly increased risk of psychological distress (OR, 3.8) compared to those who had more frequent communication and received more support. Harmonious communication in the workplace can help prevent psychological distress among employees, which in turn may enable them to be satisfied with their work. PMID:26320729

Communication, support and psychosocial work environment affecting psychological distress among working women aged 20 to 39 years in Japan.

PubMed

Honda, Ayumi; Date, Yutaka; Abe, Yasuyo; Aoyagi, Kiyoshi; Honda, Sumihisa

2016-01-01

When compared with their older counterparts, younger women are more likely to have depressive symptoms because they more often experience interrupted work history and a heavy childrearing burden. The purposes of the present study were 1) to investigate the possible association of psychosocial work environment with psychological distress and 2) to examine the way by which communication and support in the workplace affect to psychological distress among young women. We studied 198 women aged 20 to 39 yr in a cross-sectional study. The Kessler Scale-10 (K10 Scale) was used to examine psychological distress. In employees who experienced interpersonal conflict, those who had little or no conversations with their supervisor and/or co-workers had a significantly increased risk of psychological distress (OR, 4.2), and those who received little or no support from their supervisor and/or co-workers had a significantly increased risk of psychological distress (OR, 3.8) compared to those who had more frequent communication and received more support. Harmonious communication in the workplace can help prevent psychological distress among employees, which in turn may enable them to be satisfied with their work.

Work, Aging, and Risks to Family Life: The Case of Australia.

PubMed

Biggs, Simon; Carr, Ashley; Haapala, Irja

2015-09-01

The relationship between work and family is considered with an emphasis on policy solutions. Australian policy is a case example in the context of international trends. A mismatch between policy initiatives and familial and personal priorities constitutes a new social risk associated with demographic and sociocultural development. Contemporary trends, both nationally and internationally, evidence solutions to the “problem of demographic aging” by adopting a form of economic instrumentalism. This restricts legitimate age identities to those associated with work and work-related activity. When applied to family life, such a focus runs the risk of reducing policy interest in intergenerational engagement to unpaid care roles, while personal development and age-related life priorities are ignored. The need for cultural adaptation to population aging is becoming accepted in policy debate and is considered here as an effective response to the personal, social, and economic risks of population aging and associated impacts on family life.

Variable Work Hours--The MONY Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fields, Cynthia J.

1974-01-01

An experiment with variable work hours in one department of a large company was so successful that it has become standard procedure in various corporate areas, both staff and line. The result? Increased production, fewer errors, improved employee morale, and a significant reduction in lateness and absenteeism. (Author)

Building Pathways to Working with Collections: Can Internships and Student Work Experience Help?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoy, Marian

2011-01-01

How do internships and work experience, such as volunteering, give students a taste of the environment in which they hope to be employed? How do they provide pathways between educational institutions and the workplace? This paper reports on a qualitative research study about the initial professional learning experiences of individuals newly…

Associations of work and health-related characteristics with intention to continue working after the age of 65 years.

PubMed

ten Have, Margreet; van Dorsselaer, Saskia; de Graaf, Ron

2015-02-01

This study examines the association of work and health-related characteristics with the intention to continue working after the age of 65 years. Data were from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study-2 (NEMESIS-2), a nationally representative population survey, including 1854 employees aged 45-64 years; 29.0% reported the intention to continue working after 65 years. Lower education, more adverse psychosocial working conditions and any physical disorder were negatively associated with this intention. Mental disorders were not associated. These findings highlight the importance of favourable working conditions and good physical health in relation to employees' intention to continue working after 65 years. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Age differences in proactive interference, working memory, and abstract reasoning

PubMed Central

Emery, Lisa; Hale, Sandra; Myerson, Joel

2008-01-01

It has been hypothesized that older adults are especially susceptible to proactive interference (PI), and that this may contribute to age differences in working memory performance. In young adults, individual differences in PI affect both working memory and reasoning ability, but the relations between PI, working memory, and reasoning in older adults have not been examined. In the current study, young, old, and very old adults performed a modified operation span task that induced several cycles of PI buildup and release, as well as two tests of abstract reasoning ability. Age differences in working memory scores increased as PI built up, consistent with the hypothesis that older adults are more susceptible to PI, but both young and older adults showed complete release from PI. Young adults' reasoning ability was best predicted by working memory performance under high-PI conditions, replicating Bunting (2006). In contrast, older adults' reasoning ability was best predicted by their working memory performance under low-PI conditions, thereby raising questions regarding the general role of susceptibility to PI in differences in higher cognitive function among older adults. PMID:18808252

Social Work Faculty's Knowledge of Aging: Results from a National Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Donna S.; Chonody, Jill M.; Krase, Kathryn

2013-01-01

Social work students have reported in previous studies that they receive insufficient coursework and training to work effectively with older adults. A critical factor in these deficiencies may be the level of knowledge of social work faculty. This study sought to assess social work faculty's knowledge of aging using the Knowledge of Aging for…

Rumination, Age, and Years of Experience: A Predictive Study of Burnout

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDuffy, Moriel S.

2016-01-01

This study used a non-experimental design to examine whether job satisfaction, rumination, age and years of experience predict burnout among human service workers serving high-risk populations. The study also used a stepwise regression to assess whether job satisfaction, rumination, age, or years of experience predict burnout equally. Burnout was…

Evaluation of aging and hydration in natural volcanic glass: magnetic property variations during artificial aging and hydration experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowles, J. A.; Patiman, A.

2017-12-01

The recorded geomagnetic field intensity is a function of magnetic mineralogy, grain size, and mineral concentration as well as material stability in nature and during laboratory experiments. Fresh, unhydrated, volcanic glasses are recognized as a nearly ideal natural material for use in paleointensity experiments because they contain the requisite single domain to pseudo-single-domain magnetic particles. Although alteration of magnetic mineralogy can be monitored during the experiments, it is unclear how mineralogy and hence magnetization might change with age as the metastable glass structure relaxes and/or the glass becomes hydrated. Bulk magnetic properties as a function of age show no clear trend, even over hundreds of millions of years. This may be due to the fact that even in fresh, unhydrated glass, there are small-scale differences in magnetic properties due to variation cooling rate or composition variations. Therefore, in order to better understand how magnetic mineralogy evolves with time and hydration, we conducted artificial aging and hydration experiments on fresh, unhydrated rhyolitic (South Deadman Creek, California, 650-yr) and basaltic (Axial Seamount, 2011) end-member glasses. Here, we present the results of artificial aging and hydration experiments. Elevated temperatures accelerate the glass relaxation process in a way that relaxation time decreases with increasing temperature. Aged samples are dry-annealed at 200, 300 and 400 °C for up to 240 days. A second set of samples are hydrated under pressure at 300°C and 450°C. In all cases, isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) acquisition is monitored to assess changes in the coercivity spectrum and saturation IRM. Preliminary aging results show that in basaltic and rhyolitic glass there is one main peak coercivity at 150 mT and 35 mT, respectively. An increasing sIRM and decreasing peak coercivity trend is observed in basaltic glass whereas no trend is shown in the rhyolitic glass in both

Work after age 65: A prospective study of Australian men and women.

PubMed

Majeed, Tazeen; Forder, Peta M; Tavener, Meredith; Vo, Kha; Byles, Julie

2017-06-01

This study describes hours in paid work for Australian men and women aged over 65, focusing on associations between work and education. Data were analysed separately for men and women, from baseline and first follow-up surveys of the 45 and Up Study. Generalised estimating equation models were used to identify associations between work, education and other factors over time. The odds of doing paid work increased with higher education level and decreased with time, age, poorer physical function and having health conditions (high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and breast cancer). Un-partnered women were more likely to work in later life than partnered women. This study quantifies the importance of education and health factors in determining continued participation of Australian men and women in paid work in later life. These factors need to be considered for policies aiming to increase workforce participation beyond 65 years of age. © 2017 AJA Inc.

Clinician Experiences Assessing Work Disability Related to Mental Disorders

PubMed Central

Dewa, Carolyn S.; Hees, Hiske; Trojanowski, Lucy; Schene, Aart H.

2015-01-01

Objective Medical certification is one of the basic administrative mechanisms used by social policies aimed at income protection. The assessment of work disability is central to the income protection application. Yet, there is evidence suggesting that determining work disability related to mental disorders is challenging. Although essential to the disability application process, few studies have looked at physician and other clinician experiences with the process. However, this type of information is critical to developing processes to support providers who participate in the assessments. This purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of physicians and other clinicians assessing public long-term work disability related to mental disorders. Methods This is an exploratory and descriptive study using qualitative methods. Clinician input was gathered through focus groups and individual in-depth interviews. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed to identify recurrent and significant themes that arose during the focus groups and individual interviews. Results Many of the experiences that the clinicians in this sample discussed related to the difficulty of trying to fill the roles of advocate and medical expert as well as the challenge of determining the impact of functional capacity and work ability. The findings also highlight the current gap in knowledge about the factors that affect successful functioning in general and at work in particular. Conclusions Given the challenges created by the current state of knowledge, it may be useful to consider a category of “partial disability”. In addition, the fact that work disability depends on the interaction between the experience of the mental disorder and specific job requirements and the fact that people applying for public long-term disability are not working, it might be helpful to offer a clear description and guidelines of the meaning of work ability. PMID:25789478

Experiences of registered nurses as managers and leaders in residential aged care facilities: a systematic review.

PubMed

Dwyer, Drew

2011-12-01

The phenomenon of an ageing population is being experienced globally, as countries struggle to change and improve residential models of care and provide services to the elderly. The role of the registered nurse (RN) is considered crucial to the clinical governance and management of care given. To date, however, no systematic review has examined the RN's experience in leadership and management. The objective of this review is to critically appraise, synthesise and present best available evidence on the experiences of RNs as clinical leaders and managers in residential aged care facilities. This review considered qualitative research papers that addressed the experiences of RNs as clinical leaders and managers in residential aged care facilities. Participants of interest were RNs, nurse leaders, nurses holding registration and or regulation under a board of nursing, nurses working in residential aged care and long-term care facilities. The diversity and use of language to describe nurses' roles and models of care for the elderly care environment were considered in the review. The search strategy sought to find both published studies and papers, limited to the English language and published between January 1997 and February 2011. An initial limited search was done in Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases to identify the key words contained in the title or abstract and index terms used to describe the relevant terms in the article. A second extensive search was undertaken and extended to other relevant databases using all identified keywords and index terms. The third step involved searching reference lists and bibliographies of chosen articles for additional studies. Each paper was assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological quality prior to inclusion in the review using an appropriate critical appraisal instrument from the System for the Unified Management

Conflict management style, supportive work environments and the experience of work stress in emergency nurses.

PubMed

Johansen, Mary L; Cadmus, Edna

2016-03-01

To examine the conflict management style that emergency department (ED) nurses use to resolve conflict and to determine whether their style of managing conflict and a supportive work environment affects their experience of work stress. Conflict is a common stressor that is encountered as nurses strive to achieve patient satisfaction goals while delivering quality care. How a nurse perceives support may impact work stress levels and how they deal with conflict. A correlational design examined the relationship between supportive work environment, and conflict management style and work stress in a sample of 222 ED nurses using the expanded nurse work stress scale; the survey of perceived organisational support; and the Rahim organisational conflict inventory-II. Twenty seven percent of nurses reported elevated levels of work stress. A supportive work environment and avoidant conflict management style were significant predictors of work stress. Findings suggest that ED nurses' perception of a supportive work environment and their approach to resolving conflict may be related to their experience of work stress. Providing opportunities for ED nurses in skills training in constructive conflict resolution may help to reduce work stress and to improve the quality of patient care. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Social Pedagogical Work with Different Age Groups in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toporkova, Olga; Glebova, Ekaterina; Vysotskaia, Inna V.; Tikhaeva, Victoria V.

2016-01-01

Background/Objectives: The main objective of the article is to study, analyze and organize the modern German experience in the sphere of social pedagogical and educational work with socially unprotected adults, including youth and the elderly. The retrospective analysis threw light on the background of work with socially unprotected adults in…

When Work Experience Is Not Enough

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lum, Lydia

2009-01-01

Legal practitioners find the leap into academia difficult. A much bigger deterrent for lawyers interested in teaching is a laborious, oft-vexing application process that places little value on work experience and interests. They also chide law school hiring committees for a lack of outreach to Asian Pacific Islanders. Law educators emphasize that…

Environmental Project Provides Work Experience for Rural Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meier, Amy L.; Smith, Marilyn; Usinger, Janet

2010-01-01

Bootstraps is a 12-week program designed for rural youth, ages 18-21, who are not working and not in school. The program goal is for participants to develop skills and motivation to find meaningful work, which is accomplished through a combination of classroom learning and practical fieldwork. The environmental fieldwork on public lands, funded by…

First-time fathers' expectations and experiences of childbirth in relation to age.

PubMed

Schytt, Erica; Bergström, Malin

2014-01-01

to investigate first-time fathers' expectations and experiences of childbirth and satisfaction with care in relation to paternal age. data from a randomised controlled trial of antenatal education were used for secondary analysis. Data were collected by questionnaires in mid-pregnancy and at three months after the birth. Comparisons by χ(2)-tests and Student's t-tests were made between men in three age groups: young men aged ≤27 years (n=188), men of average age 28-33 years (n=389) and men of advanced age ≥34 years (n=200). the expectant fathers were recruited from 15 antenatal clinics spread over Sweden. 777 first-time fathers. antenatal expectations and postnatal memory of the childbirth experience varied by paternal age. In mid-pregnancy, mixed or negative feelings about the upcoming birth were more prevalent in men of advanced age (29%) compared with men of average (26%) and young (18%) age (p<0.01), and they feared the event more than the youngest (mean on the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire: advanced age 43.3; average age 42.9; young 38.7; p<0.01). The older men also assessed their partner's labour and birth as more difficult (advanced age 43%; average age 41%; young 32%; p=0.05) and had a less positive overall birth experience (advanced age 30%; average age 36%; young 43%; p<0.05). However, older fathers were more satisfied with care given during the intrapartum period: 52% were overall satisfied compared with 46% of the men of average age and 39% of young age (p=0.03). men of advanced age had more fearful and negative expectations during their partner's pregnancies and postnatally assessed the births as less positive and more difficult than younger men did. Despite this, older men were more satisfied with intrapartum care. knowledge about age-related differences in the expectations and experiences of first-time fathers may help midwives and doctors give more individualised information and support, with special attention to older men

The impact of social and family-related factors on women's stress experience in household and family work.

PubMed

Sperlich, Stefanie; Geyer, Siegfried

2015-03-01

This study explores the contribution of social and family-related factors to women's experience of an effort-reward imbalance (ERI) in household and family work. Using a population-based sample of German mothers (n = 3,129), we performed stepwise logistic regression analysis in order to determine the relative impact of social and family-related factors on ERI. All factors investigated showed a significant association with at least one ERI component. Considering all predictors simultaneously in the multivariate analysis resulted in a decrease in significance of socioeconomic status in explaining the effort-reward ratio while the impact on low reward partly remained significant. In addition, age of youngest child, number of children, lower levels of perceived social support, domestic work inequity and negative work-to-family spillover, irrespective of being half- or full-time employed, revealed to be important in predicting ERI. The experience of ERI in domestic work is influenced by the social and family environment. Particularly among socially disadvantaged mothers, lack of social recognition for household and family work proved to be a relevant source of psychosocial stress.

Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Knowledge of Aging for Social Work Quiz

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakao, Kayoko C.; Damron-Rodriguez, JoAnn; Lawrance, Frances P.; Volland, Patricia J.

2013-01-01

Using graduate social work students' data ("n" = 481) in the Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education (HPPAE) in the United States, the study examined psychometric properties of the Knowledge of Aging for Social Work Quiz (KASW), a revision of the Facts on Aging Quiz, to evaluate biopsychosocial knowledge relevant to social work.…

Work experiences of internationally trained pharmacists in Great Britain.

PubMed

Ziaei, Zainab; Hassell, Karen; Schafheutle, Ellen I

2015-04-01

Internationally trained health professionals are an important part of the domestic workforce, but little is known about the working experiences of internationally trained pharmacists (ITPs) in Great Britain (GB). The purpose of this study is to explore the work experiences of ITPs practising in the community or hospital sector in GB. Twenty-five semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with a sample of European Economic Area (EEA) and non-EEA pharmacists who, at the time of the study, practised in the community (n = 20) or hospital sector (n = 5) in the North West England from March to May 2009. In general, ITPs complained about their heavy workload, long working hours and lack of support from their employers. Specifically, EEA pharmacists in most cases felt excluded from the professional network and sensed colleagues saw them as 'foreigners' while some non-EEA pharmacists had to deal with a level of hostility from patients. This novel research provides a foundation for future work on ITPs in GB and could assist employers to better target their efforts in development of standards to support the working experiences of ITPs in GB. © 2014 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Work-related limitations and return-to-work experiences in prolonged fatigue: workers' perspectives before and after vocational treatment.

PubMed

Joosen, Margot C W; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W; Sluiter, Judith K

2011-01-01

To gain insight into fatigued workers' perspectives regarding work experience before and after receiving vocational rehabilitation (VR) treatments. A qualitative survey was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 21 fatigued workers who attended an outpatient multi-component VR treatment. Six months after treatment, work-related limitations and employed VR strategies at work before treatment were explored. Next, VR treatment experiences regarding return-to-work (RTW) were explored. Two researchers performed partially independent, qualitative analyses that revealed topics, discussed by the project team, and organised into domains, categories and sub-categories. Work-related limitations were: symptoms of prolonged fatigue, personal limitations (e.g. lack of self-reflection on individual capacity and limitations), interpersonal factors, activities and conditions at work and life/work imbalance. Before the treatment, VR strategies such as work adaptations, well-intentioned advice and support, and/or referral to psychological or physical care were employed. VR treatment experiences on RTW were: personal challenges (e.g. gained awareness and coping skills), improved activities during work, work adaptations and unresolved problems (e.g. remaining fatigue symptoms and sickness absence). New information about work experiences before and after multi-component VR treatments in workers with prolonged fatigue may help employers, occupational physicians and other caregivers to develop VR strategies that better meet individuals' needs.

Faculty Reflections on the Institute for Aging and Social Work Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonifas, Robin P.; Mehrotra, Gita R.

2014-01-01

Considerable research highlights the value of mentorship to the professional development of early career faculty in academia, yet less research focuses on factors motivating individuals to provide formal guidance to junior colleagues. Given that new social work faculty, in particular, may not receive sufficient mentoring, understanding what…

Identification of a Dispositional Tendency to Experience Work-Family Spillover

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Eunae; Tay, Louis; Allen, Tammy D.; Stark, Stephen

2013-01-01

Are individuals predisposed to experience work-family spillover? Despite theoretical relevance and practical implications related to this issue, research on this topic is scarce. With this in mind, we investigated if there is a dispositional tendency to experience work-family spillover using a nationally representative longitudinal sample. We…

Work at older ages in Japan: variation by gender and employment status.

PubMed

Raymo, James M; Liang, Jersey; Sugisawa, Hidehiro; Kobayashi, Erika; Sugihara, Yoko

2004-05-01

This study describes the correlates of labor force participation among Japanese men and women aged 60-85 and examines differences by gender and employment status. Using four waves of data collected from a national sample of older Japanese between 1990 and 1999, we estimate multinomial logistic regression models for three measures of labor force participation (current labor force status, labor force exit, and labor force re-entry) as a function of individual and family characteristics measured 3 years earlier. Labor force participation is significantly associated with socioeconomic status, longest occupation, and family structure. The strength and nature of these relationships differ markedly for men and women and for wage employment and self-employment. The emphasis on life course experiences and work-family interdependence characterizing recent research on retirement in the United States is clearly relevant in Japan as well. To better understand later-life labor force participation in Japan, subsequent research should incorporate more direct measures of life course experiences and family relationships and attempt to make explicit cross-national comparisons of these relationships.

Bilateral Benefits: Student Experiences of Work-Based Learning during Work Placement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donovan, Dermot

2018-01-01

This article explores the varied learning experiences among third-year students undertaking a structured work placement module in the furniture and wood manufacturing industries. Using situated learning theory, the article considers the outcomes of in-depth interviews with 10 students and offers an insight into the multifaceted interactions…

Age-related changes in working memory and the ability to ignore distraction.

PubMed

McNab, Fiona; Zeidman, Peter; Rutledge, Robb B; Smittenaar, Peter; Brown, Harriet R; Adams, Rick A; Dolan, Raymond J

2015-05-19

A weakened ability to effectively resist distraction is a potential basis for reduced working memory capacity (WMC) associated with healthy aging. Exploiting data from 29,631 users of a smartphone game, we show that, as age increases, working memory (WM) performance is compromised more by distractors presented during WM maintenance than distractors presented during encoding. However, with increasing age, the ability to exclude distraction at encoding is a better predictor of WMC in the absence of distraction. A significantly greater contribution of distractor filtering at encoding represents a potential compensation for reduced WMC in older age.

Keeping priorities: the role of working memory and selective attention in cognitive aging.

PubMed

de Fockert, Jan W

2005-11-02

Cognitive aging is associated with impairments to working memory and top-down control in selective attention, two components of cognitive control associated with the frontal lobes. Recent findings indicate that working memory and selective attention may be interdependent, making a better understanding of their involvement in cognitive aging particularly challenging. A paper in a recent issue of Nature Neuroscience has provided evidence that a reduction in the ability to keep a clear distinction between information to be stored in working memory and information that should be ignored and subsequently suppressed is associated with poor working memory performance. These results are in line with previous evidence for a specific age-related impairment in the ability to separate irrelevant from relevant information and may be able to explain a range of age-related cognitive changes.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back? Work Experience, Equal Opportunities and TVEI.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heath, Sue

1995-01-01

A case study of work experience provided in a British project committed to gender equality shows that the nature of work experience--its alliance with labor market needs--makes it virtually impossible to meet equal opportunity objectives. Work experience tends to reinforce existing gender divisions in the labor market. (SK)

Age-related associations between work over-commitment and zest for work among Swedish employees from a cross-sectional and longitudinal perspective.

PubMed

Runeson-Broberg, Roma; du Prel, Jean-Baptist; Westerholm, Peter; Nordin, Maria; Knutsson, Anders; Alfredsson, Lars; Fahlén, Göran; Peter, Richard

2017-01-01

In aging societies, zest for work may be pivotal when deciding to stay occupationally active longer. Psychosocial work stress is a prevalent public health problem and may have an impact on zest for work. Work over-commitment (WOC) is a personal coping strategy for work stress with excessive striving and a health risk. However, the long-term effect of WOC on zest for work is poorly understood. To investigate the age-related associations of work over-commitment with zest for work. During 1996-1998 and 2000-2003, predominantly industrial workers (n = 2940) participated in the WOLF-Norrland study and responded to a questionnaire referring to socio-demographics, WOC, zest for work, effort-reward imbalance proxies, and mental health. Age-adjusted multiple logistic regressions were performed with original and imputed datasets. Cross-sectionally, work overcommitted middle-aged employees had an increased prevalence of poor zest for work compared to their contemporaries without WOC (OR: 3.74 [95%-CI 2.19; 6.40]). However, in a longitudinal analysis associations between onset of 'poor zest for work' and the WOC subscales 'need for approval' (OR: 3.29 [95%-CI 1.04; 10.37]) and 'inability to withdraw from work' (OR: 5.14 [95%-CI 1.32; 20.03]) were observed. The longitudinal findings among older employees could be relevant regarding the expected need to remain occupationally active longer.

Recovery, work-life balance and work experiences important to self-rated health: A questionnaire study on salutogenic work factors among Swedish primary health care employees.

PubMed

Ejlertsson, Lina; Heijbel, Bodil; Ejlertsson, Göran; Andersson, Ingemar

2018-01-01

There is a lack of information on positive work factors among health care workers. To explore salutogenic work-related factors among primary health care employees. Questionnaire to all employees (n = 599) from different professions in public and private primary health care centers in one health care district in Sweden. The questionnaire, which had a salutogenic perspective, included information on self-rated health from the previously validated SHIS (Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale), psychosocial work environment and experiences, recovery, leadership, social climate, reflection and work-life balance. The response rate was 84%. A multivariable linear regression model, with SHIS as the dependent variable, showed three significant predictors. Recovery had the highest relationship to SHIS (β= 0.34), followed by experience of work-life balance (β= 0.25) and work experiences (β= 0.20). Increased experience of recovery during working hours related to higher self-rated health independent of recovery outside work. Individual experiences of work, work-life balance and, most importantly, recovery seem to be essential areas for health promotion. Recovery outside the workplace has been studied previously, but since recovery during work was shown to be of great importance in relation to higher self-rated health, more research is needed to explore different recovery strategies in the workplace.

From Loving Grandma to Working with Older Adults: Promoting Positive Attitudes towards Aging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goncalves, Daniela C.

2009-01-01

The steady increase of population aging requires not only more people working within the field of aging but also the creation of new services. However, current students from areas such as medicine, nursing, psychology, and social work frequently have low interest in working with older adults. The low interest relates to this task's lack of…

A Framework for STEM Based Work Experience Accreditation: CREST Awards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Jodie

2009-01-01

Teachers and employers realise that work experience should be more than just photocopying, answering phones, making the tea, and shadowing office-based staff to "learn about the world of work". The challenge is to ensure the experience is engaging for the student, and worthwhile. The British Science Association has been piloting ways to…

Psychosocial working conditions and exhaustion in a working population sample of Swedish middle-aged men and women.

PubMed

Lindeberg, Sara I; Rosvall, Maria; Choi, Bongkyoo; Canivet, Catarina; Isacsson, Sven-Olof; Karasek, Robert; Ostergren, Per-Olof

2011-04-01

Exhaustion is a concept of interest for both occupational health research and stress-disease theory research. The aim of the present study was to explore associations between chronic stressors, in terms of psychosocial working conditions, and exhaustion in a Swedish middle-aged population sample. A vocationally active population sample of the Malmö Shoulder and Neck Study cohort, comprising 2555 men and 2466 women between 45 and 64 years of age, was used. Psychosocial working conditions, assessed by means of the demand-control-support model, were measured longitudinally with a 1-year interval. Exhaustion was assessed by the SF-36 vitality scale and measured at follow-up, yielding a cross-sectional study design. Exhaustion was twice as common in women as in men. High psychological job demands, low job control and low job support were independently associated with exhaustion in both men and women. These associations remained after controlling for a variety of potential confounders and mediators, including socio-demographic factors, lifestyle factors, musculoskeletal pain, disease, other work-related factors (including physical workload) and non-work-related factors. High demands in combination with low control (job strain), and job strain combined with low job support (iso-strain), increased the risk for exhaustion. Psychosocial working conditions seem to contribute to exhaustion in middle-aged men and women. Future research should include exploration of exhaustion as a possible mediator between work stress and disease, as well as exploration of other chronic stressors, including non-work-related stressors, regarding their effects on exhaustion in men and women.

Age Differences in Visual Working Memory Capacity: Not Based on Encoding Limitations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, Nelson; AuBuchon, Angela M.; Gilchrist, Amanda L.; Ricker, Timothy J.; Saults, J. Scott

2011-01-01

Why does visual working memory performance increase with age in childhood? One recent study (Cowan et al., 2010b) ruled out the possibility that the basic cause is a tendency in young children to clutter working memory with less-relevant items (within a concurrent array, colored items presented in one of two shapes). The age differences in memory…

Children's Experiences of Time when a Parent Travels for Work.

PubMed

Zvonkovic, Anisa; Swenson, Andrea; Cornwell, Zoë

2017-08-01

This qualitative study focuses on different ways time is experienced by children in families who face time challenges due to a family member's job that required work travel. Data are from a family-level study that includes interviews of all family members over the age of 7. Using grounded theory methodology, this study illustrates ways in which job demands and family processes interact. Analysis centers on the 75 children's perspectives from 43 families. Holding together assessments of having enough time while wanting more time with their parents, children express emotion, generally unrecognized by parents, around the topic of family time. Children's experience of time with parents is rushed or calm, depending on the activities done in time and the gender of the parent with whom they spend time. Findings are interpreted through a feminist social constructionist lens.

[Health problems of working-age population in the Russian Federation].

PubMed

Izmerov, N F; Tikhonova, G I

2010-01-01

The paper deals with health problems of working-age population in the Russian Federation. According to foreign and domestic experts reduction of the able-bodied population and its fraction in the general population will be accompanied by ageing of labour force in the nearest two decades. Despite the growth of life expectancy in 2006-2007 demonstrated by disability, mortality and life expectancy indices for the age group of interest, its health status is considered to be critical. Mathematical simulation of mortality rates allowed for the assessment of potential years of life lost (PYLL) from leading causes of death among active working population. The data obtained provide a basis for the elaboration of medical and social programs aimed at increasing life expectancy. The most essential role in current negative tendencies in the health of active working population belongs to the deterioration of work conditions and safety at industrial enterprises coupled to low efficiency of occupational health prevention system accounting for the significantly reduced accessibility of health services. Restoration of occupational health system in Russia is of crucial importance. Experts of the Institute of Occupational Health have elaborated a draft National Action Plan designed to improve health protection of labour force in this country; its implementation would help to solve demographic problems and increase the amount and quality of labour force.

Child Care Teaching as Women's Work: Reflections on Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Miai; Reifel, Stuart

2010-01-01

Child care teachers' experiences and their gendered understandings of their work were explored in this study. Two female child care teachers were interviewed individually and asked to describe their work as women's work. Analysis showed that teachers essentialized child care teaching, recognized the paradoxes of being a child care teacher,…

Recovery, work-life balance and work experiences important to self-rated health: A questionnaire study on salutogenic work factors among Swedish primary health care employees

PubMed Central

Ejlertsson, Lina; Heijbel, Bodil; Ejlertsson, Göran; Andersson, Ingemar

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of information on positive work factors among health care workers. OBJECTIVE: To explore salutogenic work-related factors among primary health care employees. METHOD: Questionnaire to all employees (n = 599) from different professions in public and private primary health care centers in one health care district in Sweden. The questionnaire, which had a salutogenic perspective, included information on self-rated health from the previously validated SHIS (Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale), psychosocial work environment and experiences, recovery, leadership, social climate, reflection and work-life balance. RESULTS: The response rate was 84%. A multivariable linear regression model, with SHIS as the dependent variable, showed three significant predictors. Recovery had the highest relationship to SHIS (β= 0.34), followed by experience of work-life balance (β= 0.25) and work experiences (β= 0.20). Increased experience of recovery during working hours related to higher self-rated health independent of recovery outside work. CONCLUSION: Individual experiences of work, work-life balance and, most importantly, recovery seem to be essential areas for health promotion. Recovery outside the workplace has been studied previously, but since recovery during work was shown to be of great importance in relation to higher self-rated health, more research is needed to explore different recovery strategies in the workplace. PMID:29439377

Continuing connections: the experiences of retired and senior working nurse mentors.

PubMed

McDonald, Glenda; Mohan, Shantala; Jackson, Debra; Vickers, Margaret H; Wilkes, Lesley

2010-12-01

This paper reports the benefits and challenges of a mentoring programme through which retired and senior nurses continued to support and nurture nurses and midwives currently working in the health system. Nursing has an ageing workforce and faces significant loss of expertise because of retirements. Previously, mentoring programmes have been instituted in a range of nursing contexts and they have been a retention strategy for older nurses and midwives. Mentors and their mentees worked together towards mutually agreed on professional and personal goals. They were asked to meet or speak together a minimum of twice per month for at least six months. As part of a collective case study, 15 mentoring dyads were established. Participants and mentors took part in qualitative, semi-structured interviews about their perceptions and experiences of the mentoring programme. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed thematically. Mentors reported the mentoring experience to be rewarding experience that enabled them to re-connect with nursing-related activities and brought new challenges in retirement. They perceived the mentees were visibly helped by their support and influence. The mentors studied reinforced a positive self-concept as nurses and midwives in their mentees and assisted their development. Retired nurses and midwives in particular may have several characteristics that make them effective mentors. Potential benefits are demonstrated for nurses and midwives vulnerable to workplace adversity, especially those new to Australia who may have limited professional and social networks. For health organisations, mentoring programmes may be an innovative method of retention that engages both mid-career nurses and midwives and those recently retired. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Work Experiences of Latina Immigrants: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eggerth, Donald E.; DeLaney, Sheli C.; Flynn, Michael A.; Jacobson, C. Jeff

2012-01-01

Almost half of the Latino immigrants working in the United States are women. However, studies concerning the work experiences of Latinas are almost absent in the literature. This article reports the findings from a qualitative study using eight focus groups (n = 53) of Latina immigrant workers. The focus group transcripts were analyzed using the…

Age-related differences in the use of spatial and categorical relationships in a visuo-spatial working memory task.

PubMed

Dai, Ruizhi; Thomas, Ayanna K; Taylor, Holly A

2018-01-30

Research examining object identity and location processing in visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM) has yielded inconsistent results on whether age differences exist in VSWM. The present study investigated whether these inconsistencies may stem from age-related differences in VSWM sub-processes, and whether processing of component VSWM information can be facilitated. In two experiments, younger and older adults studied 5 × 5 grids containing five objects in separate locations. In a continuous recognition paradigm, participants were tested on memory for object identity, location, or identity and location information combined. Spatial and categorical relationships were manipulated within grids to provide trial-level facilitation. In Experiment 1, randomizing trial types (location, identity, combination) assured that participants could not predict the information that would be queried. In Experiment 2, blocking trials by type encouraged strategic processing. Thus, we manipulated the nature of the task through object categorical relationship and spatial organization, and trial blocking. Our findings support age-related declines in VSWM. Additionally, grid organizations (categorical and spatial relationships), and trial blocking differentially affected younger and older adults. Younger adults used spatial organizations more effectively whereas older adults demonstrated an association bias. Our finding also suggests that older adults may be less efficient than younger adults in strategically engaging information processing.

Age-related changes in the articular cartilage of the stifle joint in non-working and working German Shepherd dogs.

PubMed

Francuski, J V; Radovanović, A; Andrić, N; Krstić, V; Bogdanović, D; Hadzić, V; Todorović, V; Lazarević Macanović, M; Sourice Petit, S; Beck-Cormier, S; Guicheux, J; Gauthier, O; Kovacević Filipović, M

2014-11-01

The aims of this study were to define age-related histological changes in the articular cartilage of the stifle joint in non-chondrodystrophic dogs and to determine whether physical activity has a positive impact on preservation of cartilage structure during ageing. Twenty-eight German shepherd dogs were included in the study. These dogs had no evidence of joint inflammation as defined by clinical assessment, radiology and synovial fluid analysis (specifically absence of synovial fluid serum amyloid A). The dogs were grouped as young working (n ¼ 4), young non-working (n ¼ 5), aged working (n ¼ 13) and aged non-working (n ¼ 6) animals. Gross changes in the stifle joints were recorded and biopsy samples of femoral and tibial articular cartilage were evaluated for thickness; chondrocyte number, density, surface area and morphology; isogenous group morphology; tidemark integrity; subchondral bone structure; presence of proteoglycans/ glycosaminoglycans; and expression of type I, II and X collagens. The major age-related changes, not related to type of physical activity, included elevated chondrocyte density and thinning of tibial cartilage and increased chondrocyte surface area in the superficial and intermediate zone of the femoral cartilage. There was also expression of type X collagen in the femoral and tibial calcified and non-calcified cartilage; however, type X collagen was not detected in the superficial zone of old working dogs. Therefore, ageing, with or without physical activity, leads to slight cartilage degeneration, while physical activity modulates the synthesis of type X collagen in the superficial cartilage zone, partially preserving the structure of hyaline cartilage. 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sleep complaints in middle-aged women and men: the contribution of working conditions and work-family conflicts.

PubMed

Lallukka, Tea; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lahelma, Eero; Arber, Sara

2010-09-01

This study aimed to examine how physical working conditions, psychosocial working conditions and work-family conflicts are associated with sleep complaints, and whether health behaviours explain these associations. We used pooled postal questionnaire surveys collected in 2001-2002 among 40-60-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki (n = 5819, response rate 66%). Participants were classified as having sleep complaints if they reported sleep complaints at least once a week on average (24% of women and 20% of men). Independent variables included environmental work exposures, physical workload, computer work, Karasek's job strain and work-family conflicts. Age, marital status, occupational class, work arrangements, health behaviours and obesity were adjusted for. Most working conditions were associated strongly with sleep complaints after adjustment for age only. After adjustment for work-family conflicts, the associations somewhat attenuated. Work-family conflicts were also associated strongly with women's [odds ratio (OR) 5.90; confidence interval (CI) 4.16-8.38] and men's sleep (OR 2.56; CI 1.34-4.87). The associations remained robust even after controlling for unhealthy behaviours, obesity, health status, depression and medications. Physically strenuous working conditions, psychosocial job strain and work-family conflicts may increase sleep complaints. Efforts to support employees to cope with psychosocial stress and reach a better balance between paid work and family life might reduce sleep complaints. Sleep complaints need to be taken into account in worksite health promotion and occupational health care in order to reduce the burden of poor sleep.

Conceptualisation of ageing in relation to factors of importance for extending working life - a review.

PubMed

Nilsson, Kerstin

2016-07-01

The aim of this study was to explore and understand the complexity of ageing in relation to factors of importance for extending working life. Discourse analysis of documents was used in an integrative review including 128 articles. Four different conceptualisation of ageing are shown to affect older workers' ability to extend their working life: (a) biological ageing people's health in relation to their physical and mental work environment, their pace of work and recuperation needs; (b) chronological ageing statutory retirement age and policies and economic incentives devised for older workers by society, unions and organisations/enterprises; (c) social ageing inclusion in different social groups, the attitude of managers, organisations and family members, the leisure activities and surrounding environment; and (d) mental/cognitive ageing self-crediting, motivating and meaningful activities, competence and skills in working life. CONCLUSIONS SOCIETIES TODAY FOCUS MOSTLY ON CHRONOLOGICAL AGEING AND ARE LOOKING TO INCREASE THE RETIREMENT AGE WITH REGARD TO STATUTORY PENSION SYSTEMS, EG BEYOND 65 YEARS OF AGE THE INTER-RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHRONOLOGICAL, MENTAL, BIOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL AGEING AND THE NINE AREAS IDENTIFIED AS BEING IMPORTANT TO OLDER WORKERS IN THESE RESPECTS NEED TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN AIMING TO PROVIDE A SUSTAINABLE WORKING LIFE FOR THE INCREASING NUMBERS OF OLDER WORKERS IN MODERN SOCIETY THE THEORETICAL MODEL DEVELOPED IS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE CRITICAL DEBATE THAT CAN BE APPLIED BY SOCIETIES, EMPLOYERS AND MANAGERS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE OLDER WORKERS WITH AN INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE EXTENDED WORKING LIFE. © 2016 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

NR2A-Containing NMDARs in the Prefrontal Cortex Are Required for Working Memory and Associated with Age-Related Cognitive Decline.

PubMed

McQuail, Joseph A; Beas, B Sofia; Kelly, Kyle B; Simpson, Kailey L; Frazier, Charles J; Setlow, Barry; Bizon, Jennifer L

2016-12-14

Working memory, the ability to temporarily maintain representational knowledge, is a foundational cognitive process that can become compromised in aging and neuropsychiatric disease. NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activation in prefrontal cortex (PFC) is necessary for the pyramidal neuron activity believed to enable working memory; however, the distinct biophysical properties and localization of NMDARs containing NR2A and NR2B subunits suggest unique roles for NMDAR subtypes in PFC neural activity and working memory. Experiments herein show that working memory depends on NR2A- but not NR2B-NMDARs in PFC of rats and that NR2A-NMDARs mediate the majority of evoked NMDAR currents on layer 2/3 PFC pyramidal neurons. Moreover, attenuated expression of the NR2A but not the NR2B subunit in PFC associates with naturally occurring working memory impairment in aged rats. Finally, NMDAR currents and working memory are enhanced in aged rats by promoting activation of the NR2A-enriched synaptic pool of PFC NMDARs. These results implicate NR2A-NMDARs in normal working memory and suggest novel treatment strategies for improving working memory in cognitive disorders. Working memory, the ability to hold information "in mind," requires persistent activity of pyramidal neurons in prefrontal cortex (PFC) mediated by NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activation. NMDAR loss in PFC may account for working memory impairments in aging and psychiatric disease. Our studies demonstrate that NMDARs containing the NR2A subunit, but not the NR2B subunit, are required for working memory and that loss of NR2A predicts severity of age-related working memory impairment. The importance of NR2A to working memory is likely due its abundant contribution to pyramidal neuron activity and location at synaptic sites in PFC. This information is useful in designing new therapies to treat working memory impairments by enhancing the function of NR2A-containing NMDARs. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/3612537-12$15.00/0.

Young women with PD: a group work experience.

PubMed

Posen, J; Moore, O; Tassa, D S; Ginzburg, K; Drory, M; Giladi, N

2000-01-01

Parkinson's Disease (PD) prior to the age of 40 affects between 5-10% of the PD population. The psychosocial changes that patients with early PD encounter, may be more devastating and disabling than the actual motor disability. The paper describes a unique experience in groupwork with young female PD patients treated in the Movement Disorders Unit of the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. The paper focuses on the special issues which characterized this group's experience: stigma, body and sexual image, and personality traits.

Assessing the Effects of a Work-Based Antipoverty Program for Parents on Youth's Future Orientation and Employment Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLoyd, Vonnie C.; Kaplan, Rachel; Purtell, Kelly M.; Huston, Aletha C.

2011-01-01

The impacts of New Hope, a 3-year work-based antipoverty program to increase parent employment and reduce poverty, on youth ages 9-19 (N = 866) were assessed 5 years after parents left the program. New Hope had positive effects on the future orientation and employment experiences of boys, especially African American boys. Compared to boys in…

Student Work Experience: A Realistic Approach to Merchandising Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horridge, Patricia; And Others

1980-01-01

Relevant and realistic experiences are needed to prepare the student for a future career. Addresses the results of a survey of colleges and universities in the United States in regard to their student work experience (SWE) in fashion merchandising. (Author)

Palestinian nurses' lived experiences working in the occupied West Bank.

PubMed

Taha, A A; Westlake, C

2017-03-01

Since the construction of the separation wall between Israel and the West Bank, Palestinians living in occupied West Bank have endured intense conflict, and severe restrictions on people's movement, trade and healthcare access, all of which resulted in spiralling poverty. These issues have created challenges for nurses that, to date, have not been explored. To explore the lived experience of Palestinian nurses working in the occupied West Bank. Qualitative phenomenological study using interviews with Palestinian nurses working in public hospitals in the West Bank. Seventeen nurses were interviewed. Despite ongoing experiences of trauma and humiliation, personal/professional role conflicts, political workplace bias and blurred role boundaries, these nurses persevered because of their commitment to caring and sense of moral duty to 'the people of this land'. Nurses in conflict areas are subject to layers of trauma. Palestinian nurses in the West Bank not only experience ongoing personal trauma, loss and humiliation of living in a conflict zone but they also experience additional professional trauma. The findings provide first-person reports of the unique challenges of nurses working in the occupied West Bank. Understanding the experiences of nurses working in occupied territories provides authentic information for local authorities and the global healthcare community. Practice improvements must be addressed and implemented. Local and global organizations that mobilize support, invest in human capital, and protect human rights in areas of conflict may benefit from understanding the experiences of nurses in this study. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

Examining an emotion enhancement effect in working memory: evidence from age-related differences.

PubMed

Mammarella, Nicola; Borella, Erika; Carretti, Barbara; Leonardi, Gloria; Fairfield, Beth

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine age-related differences between young, young-old and old-old adults in an affective version of the classical Working Memory Operation Span Test. The affective version of the Working Memory Operation Span Test included neutral words (as in the classical version) as well as negative and positive ones. Results showed that while young adults performed better than the young-old and old-old with neutral words, age-related differences between young and young-old with positive words were no longer significant, and age-related differences were nullified with negative ones. Altogether, results indicate that emotional words can reduce age-related decline when maintenance and manipulation of information in working memory in older adults are required.

[Prediction of modality-specific working memory performance in kindergarten age].

PubMed

Kiese-Himmel, Christiane

2018-04-10

Working memory (WM) as a central cognitive construct is a fundamental prerequisite for learning and provides a marker of developmental disorders. It has received considerable attention in recent years. Here, multivariate regression analyses using generalized linear models were conducted to determine predictor variables for phonological and visuospatial WM. The phonological WM was investigated by repetition of non-words (subtest PGN of the German SETK 3-5) and number recall (K-ABC-subtest), the visuospatial WM by the imitation of a sequence hand movements (K-ABC-subtest hand movements). The estimation of intelligence was operationalized by the performance in the K-ABC-scale "Simultaneous Processing". Kindergarten kids (N = 169; 49 % boys; 51 % girls), mostly with migration background and German as second language (mean age: 45.9; SD 6.2; min 36, max 61 months). They visited the kindergarten at the time of testing for 9.9 (SD 6.9) months, on average and had an average intelligence. Independent variables were chronological age, gender, kindergarten attendance until the test examination, intelligence, migration background. Both phonological and visuospatial working WM performance were on average not reduced. Chronological age and simultaneous processing were found to be significant predictors for the performance in all WM tests. In the age from 36 to 61 months both working memory systems can be described as a congenital, maturity-dependent and rather gender non-specific mechanism. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Context Influences on the Subjective Experience of Aging: The Impact of Culture and Domains of Functioning.

PubMed

O'Brien, Erica L; Hess, Thomas M; Kornadt, Anna E; Rothermund, Klaus; Fung, Helene; Voss, Peggy

2017-08-01

Attitudes about aging influence how people feel about their aging and affect psychological and health outcomes in later life. Given cross-cultural variability in such attitudes, the subjective experience of aging (e.g., subjective age [SA]) may also vary, potentially accounting for culture-specific patterns of aging-related outcomes. Our study explored cultural variation in SA and its determinants. American (N = 569), Chinese (N = 492), and German (N = 827) adults aged 30-95 years completed a questionnaire that included instruments measuring basic demographic information, SA, beliefs about thresholds of old age, control over life changes, and age dependency of changes in eight different life domains (i.e., family, work). Analyses revealed consistency across cultures in the domain-specificity of SA, but differences in the amount of shared variance across domains (e.g., Chinese adults exhibited greater homogeneity across domains than did Americans and Germans). Cultural differences were also observed in levels of SA in some domains, which were attenuated by domain-specific beliefs (e.g., control). Interestingly, beliefs about aging accounted for more cultural variation in SA than did sociodemographic factors (e.g., education). Our results demonstrate that subjective perceptions of aging and everyday functioning may be best understood from a perspective focused on context (i.e., culture, life domain). Given its important relation to functioning, examination of cross-cultural differences in the subjective experience of aging may highlight factors that determine variations in aging-related outcomes that then could serve as targets of culture-specific interventions promoting well-being in later life. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Age and the experience of strong self-conscious emotion.

PubMed

Henry, Julie D; von Hippel, William; Nangle, Matthew R; Waters, Michele

2018-04-01

It remains unclear whether there are age-related changes in the experience of strong self-conscious emotion, such as shame, guilt, pride and embarrassment. Because shame and guilt figure prominently in the aetiology of depressive symptoms and other mental health problems, a better understanding of how age affects the strong experience of these two negative self-conscious emotions is of particular importance. Thirty younger, 30 middle-aged and 30 older adults were compared on standardised cognitive assessments, in addition to an interview-based measure that assessed whether there are age differences in the likelihood of strongly experiencing four different types of self-conscious emotion within the past five years (shame, guilt, embarrassment and pride). The three groups did not differ in their likelihood of reporting an event that strongly elicited the positive self-conscious emotion of pride. However, older adults were more likely to report sources of pride that were other (as opposed to self) focused. Older adults were also less likely to report experiencing events that elicited all three negative self-conscious emotions, in particular, shame. Strong negative self-conscious emotion, and in particular shame, appears to be experienced less by older than younger adults.

Differential effects of enriched environment at work on cognitive decline in old age.

PubMed

Then, Francisca S; Luck, Tobias; Luppa, Melanie; König, Hans-Helmut; Angermeyer, Matthias C; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G

2015-05-26

The aim of the present study was to investigate how different mentally demanding work conditions during the professional life-i.e., enriched environments at work-might influence the rate of cognitive decline in old age. Individuals (n = 1,054) of the Leipzig Longitudinal Study of the Aged, a representative population-based cohort study of individuals aged 75 years and older, underwent cognitive testing via the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in up to 6 measurement waves. Type and level of mentally demanding work conditions in the participants' former professional life were classified based on the O*NET job descriptor database. In multivariate mixed-model analyses (controlling for sociodemographic and health-related factors), a high level of mentally demanding work tasks stimulating verbal intelligence was significantly associated with a better cognitive functioning at baseline (on average 5 MMSE points higher) as well as a lower rate of cognitive decline (on average 2 MMSE points less) over the 8-year follow-up period compared with a low level. The rate of cognitive decline in old age was also significantly lower (on average 3 MMSE points less) in individuals who had a high level of mentally demanding work tasks stimulating executive functions than those who had a low level. The results suggest that a professional life enriched with work tasks stimulating verbal intelligence and executive functions may help to sustain a good cognitive functioning in old age (75+ years). The findings thus emphasize that today's challenging work conditions may also promote positive health effects. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

Semantic Development in Spanish-English Bilingual Children: Effects of Age and Language Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheng, Li; Bedore, Lisa M.; Pena, Elizabeth D.; Fiestas, Christine

2013-01-01

This study examines semantic development in 60 Spanish-English bilingual children, ages 7 years 3 months to 9 years 11 months, who differed orthogonally in age (younger, older) and language experience (higher English experience [HEE], higher Spanish experience [HSE]). Children produced 3 associations to 12 pairs of translation equivalents. Older…

Professor Age and Research Assistant Ratings of Passive-Avoidant and Proactive Leadership: The Role of Age-Related Work Concerns and Age Stereotypes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zacher, Hannes; Bal, P. Matthijs

2012-01-01

Recent research has shown that, in general, older professors are rated to have more passive-avoidant leadership styles than younger professors by their research assistants. The current study investigated professors' age-related work concerns and research assistants' favorable age stereotypes as possible explanations for this finding. Data came…

Accelerated Aging Experiments for Prognostics of Damage Growth in Composite Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

possible resource to collect such data is an accelerated aging platform. To that end this paper describes a fatigue cycling experiment with the goal to...possible resource to collect such data is an accelerated aging platform. To that end this paper describes a fatigue cycling experiment with the goal to...suffer from two damage types: matrix micro-cracks and inter- laminar delamination. When subject to fatigue loading matrix micro-cracks develop in the

Astronaut William Gregory works with pharmaceutical experiments on middeck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

Astronaut William G. Gregory, STS-67 pilot, works with a pharmaceutical experiment on the middeck of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Endeavour. Commercial Materials Dispersion Apparatus Instruments Technology Associates Experiments (CMIX-03) includes not only pharmaceutical but also biotechnology, cell biology, fluids and crystal growth investigations.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Support, and the Perception of Ability to Work in Adults with Disability.

PubMed

Schüssler-Fiorenza Rose, Sophia Miryam; Eslinger, Jessica G; Zimmerman, Lindsey; Scaccia, Jamie; Lai, Betty S; Lewis, Catrin; Alisic, Eva

2016-01-01

To examine the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and support on self-reported work inability of adults reporting disability. Adults (ages 18-64) who participated in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2009 or 2010 and who reported having a disability (n = 13,009). The study used a retrospective cohort design with work inability as the main outcome. ACE categories included abuse (sexual, physical, emotional) and family dysfunction (domestic violence, incarceration, mental illness, substance abuse, divorce). Support included functional (perceived emotional/social support) and structural (living with another adult) support. Logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounders (age, sex and race) and to evaluate whether there was an independent effect of ACEs on work inability after adding other important predictors (support, education, health) to the model. ACEs were highly prevalent with almost 75% of the sample reporting at least one ACE category and over 25% having a high ACE burden (4 or more categories). ACEs were strongly associated with functional support. Participants experiencing a high ACE burden had a higher adjusted odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval] of 1.9 [1.5-2.4] of work inability (reference: zero ACEs). Good functional support (adjusted OR 0.52 [0.42-0.63]) and structural support (adjusted OR 0.48 [0.41-0.56]) were protective against work inability. After adding education and health to the model, ACEs no longer appeared to have an independent effect. Structural support remained highly protective, but functional support only appeared to be protective in those with good physical health. ACEs are highly prevalent in working-age US adults with a disability, particularly young adults. ACEs are associated with decreased support, lower educational attainment and worse adult health. Health care providers are encouraged to screen for ACEs. Addressing the effects of ACEs on health and support, in addition to

Work-related fatigue and recovery: the contribution of age, domestic responsibilities and shiftwork.

PubMed

Winwood, Peter C; Winefield, Antony H; Lushington, Kurt

2006-11-01

This paper reports a study of the relationship between age, domestic responsibilities (being partnered and having dependents), recovery from shiftwork-related fatigue and the evolution of maladaptive health outcomes among full-time working female nurses. Several studies have suggested that full-time working women with family responsibilities are at greater risk of developing work-related fatigue problems than single women without these responsibilities. A questionnaire was distributed in 2004 to 2400 nurses at two hospitals in Australia, and 1280 responses were obtained (response rate 54%). The data from a purposive sample of 846 full-time working nurses are reported here. Domestic responsibilities were not related to differences in fatigue and recovery. Our results suggested that for full-time shiftworking nurses, being part of a family structure, may actually be protective against the development of maladaptive fatigue. The most important factor determining maladaptive fatigue outcome was shift pattern worked, particularly rotation including night duty. The effect of age was equivocal. The youngest age group reported the highest fatigue and poorest recovery compared to the oldest group, who reported the best characteristics. However, this latter group may represent a particularly well-adapted 'survivor cohort'. The relationship between age and fatigue was partly confounded by older, experienced, nurses with greater job responsibilities, working fewer multiple shifts including night duty. In general, increasing age was not associated with poorer recovery or higher maladaptive fatigue. Unpredictable internal shift rotations, including night duty, which are traditional and typical in nursing, are inimical to maintaining nurses' health. More creative approaches to rostering for nurses working multiple shifts are a necessary step towards reducing wastage from the profession due to chronic work-related fatigue. Younger nurses in particular, may need more support than

Effects of Preretirement Work Complexity and Postretirement Leisure Activity on Cognitive Aging

PubMed Central

Finkel, Deborah; Pedersen, Nancy L.

2016-01-01

Objectives: We examined the influence of postretirement leisure activity on longitudinal associations between work complexity in main lifetime occupation and trajectories of cognitive change before and after retirement. Methods: Information on complexity of work with data, people, and things, leisure activity participation in older adulthood, and four cognitive factors (verbal, spatial, memory, and speed) was available from 421 individuals in the longitudinal Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging. Participants were followed for an average of 14.2 years (SD = 7.1 years) and up to 23 years across eight cognitive assessments. Most of the sample (88.6%) completed at least three cognitive assessments. Results: Results of growth curve analyses indicated that higher complexity of work with people significantly attenuated cognitive aging in verbal skills, memory, and speed of processing controlling for age, sex, and education. When leisure activity was added, greater cognitive and physical leisure activity was associated with reduced cognitive aging in verbal skills, speed of processing, and memory (for cognitive activity only). Discussion: Engagement in cognitive or physical leisure activities in older adulthood may compensate for cognitive disadvantage potentially imposed by working in occupations that offer fewer cognitive challenges. These results may provide a platform to encourage leisure activity participation in those retiring from less complex occupations. PMID:25975289

Engaging Youth in Work Experiences. Innovative Strategies Practice Brief. Issue 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Mindy

2011-01-01

Work experiences are a critical component of preparing youth for transition to adulthood. Potential benefits for youth who participate in work experiences include: 1) gaining career readiness skills including the "soft skills" that employers look for in entry level workers; 2) increasing one's knowledge of specific occupational skills…

Integration Experiences Casebook: Program Ideas in Aging and Developmental Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janicki, Matthew P.; Keefe, Robert M.

An assortment of 38 case studies illustrates efforts to integrate elderly individuals with developmental disabilities into generic aging services and into community life. The case studies include models and practice experiences that aided seniors to retire, participate in programs and services, and become part of their community's aging network.…

Preparing for an Aging Work Force: A Practical Guide for Employers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AARP, Washington, DC.

This booklet, which is intended for human resource managers, provides practical guidance regarding preparing for an aging work force. Chapter 1 concerns the relationship between business practices and age neutrality and offers checklists that human resource managers can use to assess their company's general policy development, training,…

Training, age and technological change: difficulties associated with age, the design of tools, and the organization of work.

PubMed

Cau-Bareille, Dominique; Gaudart, Corinne; Delgoulet, Catherine

2012-01-01

This article presents two ergonomic studies carried out when two French administrative bodies modernized their work tools. Our objective was to identify and define the vocational learning of experienced technicians who were required to adopt new working methods to cope with these technological changes. We observed the work activity of technicians of different ages and length of service both before and during training, and also after their return to their work unit during the appropriation phase. These two studies revealed some difficulties that were common to all the technicians and others that were more specific to the older employees. In terms of the design of the training course, we were able to point out some mistaken assumptions about the technicians' original command of the work activity and the computers, which made it difficult for them to adopt new work procedures. The difficulties encountered by the older employees were ultimately found to be more an indication of organizational problems to do with the management of change rather than training problems due to age.

Blood pressure variations during a working day at age 28: effects of different types of work and blood pressure level at age 18.

PubMed

Theorell, T; Knox, S; Svensson, J; Waller, D

1985-01-01

During an ordinary work day blood pressure was self-monitored once every hour in two samples of asymptomatic nonmedicating 28-year-old men. They were selected on the basis of previous compulsory blood pressure recordings made at the age of 18 when they had been drafted for military service. Subjects in the "original hypertensive sample" with "strain" occupations (hectic and uncontrollable, such as waiter, driver and cook) had more marked elevations of systolic blood pressure during work hours than other subjects.

Visuospatial working memory in very preterm and term born children--impact of age and performance.

PubMed

Mürner-Lavanchy, I; Ritter, B C; Spencer-Smith, M M; Perrig, W J; Schroth, G; Steinlin, M; Everts, R

2014-07-01

Working memory is crucial for meeting the challenges of daily life and performing academic tasks, such as reading or arithmetic. Very preterm born children are at risk of low working memory capacity. The aim of this study was to examine the visuospatial working memory network of school-aged preterm children and to determine the effect of age and performance on the neural working memory network. Working memory was assessed in 41 very preterm born children and 36 term born controls (aged 7-12 years) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and neuropsychological assessment. While preterm children and controls showed equal working memory performance, preterm children showed less involvement of the right middle frontal gyrus, but higher fMRI activation in superior frontal regions than controls. The younger and low-performing preterm children presented an atypical working memory network whereas the older high-performing preterm children recruited a working memory network similar to the controls. Results suggest that younger and low-performing preterm children show signs of less neural efficiency in frontal brain areas. With increasing age and performance, compensational mechanisms seem to occur, so that in preterm children, the typical visuospatial working memory network is established by the age of 12 years. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Homelessness and Work Experience: Two Years in Saint Paul. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Dennis R.

A study explored the role of work experience in addressing problems of homeless people in Saint Paul (Minnesota) during the 1989-91 grant cycles of the McKinney Job Training for the Homeless Demonstration Program. The program included a number of elements: outreach, intake, assessment and enrollment, orientation, work experience, basic…

Provocative work experiences predict the acquired capability for suicide in physicians.

PubMed

Fink-Miller, Erin L

2015-09-30

The interpersonal psychological theory of suicidal behavior (IPTS) offers a potential means to explain suicide in physicians. The IPTS posits three necessary and sufficient precursors to death by suicide: thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and acquired capability. The present study sought to examine whether provocative work experiences unique to physicians (e.g., placing sutures, withdrawing life support) would predict levels of acquired capability, while controlling for gender and painful and provocative experiences outside the work environment. Data were obtained from 376 of 7723 recruited physicians. Study measures included the Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale, the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, the Painful and Provocative Events Scale, and the Life Events Scale-Medical Doctors Version. Painful and provocative events outside of work predicted acquired capability (β=0.23, t=3.82, p<0.001, f(2)=0.09) as did provocative work experiences (β=0.12, t=2.05, p<0.05, f(2)=0.07). This represents the first study assessing the potential impact of unique work experiences on suicidality in physicians. Limitations include over-representation of Caucasian participants, limited representation from various specialties of medicine, and lack of information regarding individual differences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and quality analysis of the Work Experience Measurement Scale (WEMS).

PubMed

Nilsson, Petra; Bringsén, Asa; Andersson, H Ingemar; Ejlertsson, Göran

2010-01-01

Instruments related to work are commonly illuminated from an ill-health perspective. The need for a concise and useable instrument in workplace health promotion governed the aim of this paper which is to present the development process and quality assessment of the Work Experience Measurement Scale (WEMS). A survey, using a questionnaire based on established theories regarding work and health, and a focus group study were performed in hospital settings in 2005 and 2006 respectively. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to statistically develop a model, and focus group interviews were made to compare quantitative and qualitative results for convergence and corroboration. The PCA resulted in a six factor model of dimensions containing items regarding management, reorganization, internal work experience, pressure of time, autonomy and supportive working conditions. In the analysis of the focus group study three themes appeared and their underlying content was compared to, and matched, with the dimensions of the PCA. The reliability, shown by weighted kappa values, ranged from 0.36 to 0.71, and adequate Cronbach's Alpha values of the dimensions were all above 0.7. The study validity, indicated by discriminant validity, with correlation values that ranged from 0.10 to 0.39, in relation to the content validity appeared to be good when the theoretical content of the WEMS was compared to the content of similar instruments. The WEMS presents a multidimensional picture of work experience. Its theoretical base and the psychometric properties give support for applicability and offer a possibility to measure trends in the work experience over time in health care settings. One intention of the WEMS is to stimulate the ability of organizations and the employees themselves to take action on improving their work experience. The conciseness of the instrument is intended to increase its usability.

Investigation of Psychophysiological and Subjective Effects of Long Working Hours - Do Age and Hearing Impairment Matter?

PubMed

Wagner-Hartl, Verena; Kallus, K Wolfgang

2017-01-01

Following current prognosis, demographic development raises expectations of an aging of the working population. Therefore, keeping employees healthy and strengthening their ability to work, becomes more and more important. When employees become older, dealing with age-related impairments of sensory functions, such as hearing impairment, is a central issue. Recent evidence suggests that negative effects that are associated with reduced hearing can have a strong impact at work. Especially under exhausting working situations such as working overtime hours, age and hearing impairment might influence employees' well-being. Until now, neither the problem of aged workers and long working hours, nor the problem of hearing impairment and prolonged working time has been addressed explicitly. Therefore, a laboratory study was examined to answer the research question: Do age and hearing impairment have an impact on psychophysiological and subjective effects of long working hours. In total, 51 white-collar workers, aged between 24 and 63 years, participated in the laboratory study. The results show no significant effects for age and hearing impairment on the intensity of subjective consequences (perceived recovery and fatigue, subjective emotional well-being and physical symptoms) of long working hours. However, the psychophysiological response (the saliva cortisol level) to long working hours differs significantly between hearing impaired and normal hearing employees. Interestingly, the results suggest that from a psychophysiological point of view long working hours were more demanding for normal hearing employees.

Student nurses' experience working with mentally challenged individuals in South Africa.

PubMed

Janse VAN Rensburg, E S; Poggenpoel, M; Myburgh, C P H

2012-11-01

South African student nurses experience emotional discomfort that might influence their adjustment and coping while working with mentally challenged individuals. Adjustment and coping might impact on their mental health and support needed while working in this challenging context. Student nurses working with mentally challenged individuals experience emotional discomfort that may result in work-related stress. The experiences of student nurses working with mentally challenged individuals were explored and described as it may influence their adjustment, coping and result in work-related stress, impacting on their mental health. The study used a qualitative, explorative, descriptive, contextual research design with a case study as strategy. Thirteen student nurses from a specific higher educational institution in Gauteng, South Africa, participated in the focus group interviews. The researcher utilized reflective journals, a reflective letter, naïve sketches, drawings and field notes to collect data. Data analysis was done according to Tesch's descriptive method of open coding and theme analysis. A central storyline emerged where student nurses described working with mentally challenged individuals as a process of personal transformation that was initiated by an engagement on a deeper emotional level with these individuals. The process of personal transformation started a journey towards the discovery of meaning for the self, as student nurses. Student nurses working in challenging environments during their training may experience emotional discomfort and need additional support in coping and adjustment within this context. The nurse educator plays an important role in providing this support to manage work-related stress as well as in creating learning opportunities for the student nurses working in challenging contexts. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing.

Williams working on the JAXA MS (Marangoni Surface) Experiment

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-11-05

ISS021-E-020299 (5 Nov. 2009) --- NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams, Expedition 21 flight engineer, works with Fluid Physics Experiment Facility/Marangoni Surface (FPEF MS) Core hardware in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station. The Marangoni convection experiment in the FPEF examines fluid tension flow in micro-G.

Impact of Work Experiences on Attitudes toward Sexual Harassment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konrad, Alison M.; Gutek, Barbara A.

1986-01-01

Three theories account for individuals' perceptions of sexual harassment: (1) men and women view and define sexual harassment differently; (2) differential sexual experiences at work account for different perceptions; and (3) gender role "spillover" accounts for perceptual differences. A sample of 1,232 working men and women supports these…

Graduates' Perspectives on a National Specialized Program in Social Work and Aging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenfield, Emily A.; Shpiegel, Svetlana

2012-01-01

Recognizing the growing need for social workers with specialized training in aging, the Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education (HPPAE) has developed as a nationwide initiative to enhance aging education for master's-level social work students. This study presents a content analysis of answers to 2 open-ended questions in a national…

Age inclusive services or separate old age and working age services? A historical analysis from the formative years of old age psychiatry c.1940–1989

PubMed Central

Hilton, Claire

2015-01-01

The Equality Act 2010 made it unlawful to discriminate in the provision of services on the grounds of age. This legislation is open to interpretation, but it is affecting the way older people’s services are defined and provided. Historical evidence indicates that, since the 1940s, apart from psychiatrists working in dedicated old age services, most were unenthusiastic about working with mentally unwell older people and unsupportive of those who chose to do so. A historical analysis might shed light on current dilemmas about ‘all age’ or ‘old age’ services and inform decision-making on future mental health services. PMID:26191440

Hearing and Speech Sciences in Educational Environment Mapping in Brazil: education, work and professional experience.

PubMed

Celeste, Letícia Corrêa; Zanoni, Graziela; Queiroga, Bianca; Alves, Luciana Mendonça

2017-03-09

To map the profile of Brazilian Speech Therapists who report acting in Educational Speech Therapy, with regard to aspects related to training, performance and professional experience. Retrospective study, based on secondary database analysis of the Federal Council of Hearing and Speech Sciences on the questionnaires reporting acting with Educational Environment. 312 questionnaires were completed, of which 93.3% by women aged 30-39 years. Most Speech Therapists continued the studies, opting mostly for specialization. Almost 50% of respondents, have worked for less than six years with the speciality, most significantly in the public service (especially municipal) and private area. The profile of the Speech Therapists active in the Educational area in Brazil is a professional predominantly female, who values to continue their studies after graduation, looking mostly for specialization in the following areas: Audiology and Orofacial Motor. The time experience of the majority is up to 10 years of work whose nature is divided mainly in public (municipal) and private schools. The performance of Speech Therapists in the Educational area concentrates in Elementary and Primary school, with varied workload.

Working on the moon: The Apollo experience

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, E.M.

1989-01-01

The successful completion of any scientific or engineering project on the Moon will depend, in part, on human ability to do useful work under lunar conditions. In making informed decisions about such things as the use of humans rather than robots for specific tasks, the scheduling of valuable human time, and the design and selection of equipment and tools, good use can be made of the existing experience base. During the six completed landing missions, Apollo lunar surface crews conducted 160 astronaut-hours of extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) and also spent a similar sum of waking hours working in the cramped confinesmore » of the Lunar Module. The first three missions were primarily proof-tests of flight hardware and procedures. The ability to land equipment and consumables was very modest but, despite stay times of no more than 32 hours, the crews of Apollos 11, 12, and 14 were able to test their mobility and their capability of doing useful work outside the spacecraft. For the last three missions, thanks to LM modifications which enabled landings with significant amounts of cargo, stay times more than doubled to three days. The crews were able to use Lunar Rovers to conduct extensive local exploration and to travel up to 10 kilometers away from their immediate landing sites. During these final missions, the astronauts spent enough time doing work of sufficient complexity that their experience should be of use in the formulation early-stage lunar base operating plans. 2 refs.« less

Preparing for the World of Work: An Exploratory Study of Disabled Students' Experiences of Work Placement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgiou, Catherine Elizabeth; Espahbodi, Shima; De Souza, Lorraine Hilary

2012-01-01

For people with disabilities, one of the best ways to achieve independence is through work. Experience gained by undertaking a work placement whilst a student provides valuable knowledge and understanding of the demands of work, and enhances employability on graduation for both students with disabilities and for their non-disabled peers. The aims…

Nursing staff work patterns in a residential aged care home: a time-motion study.

PubMed

Qian, Siyu; Yu, Ping; Hailey, David

2016-11-01

Objective Residential aged care services are challenged by an increasing number of residents and a shortage of nursing staff. Developing strategies to overcome this challenge requires an understanding of nursing staff work patterns. The aim of the present study was to investigate the work processes followed by nursing staff and how nursing time is allocated in a residential aged care home. Methods An observational time-motion study was conducted at two aged care units for 12 morning shifts. Seven nurses were observed, one per shift. Results In all, there were 91h of observation. The results showed that there was a common work process followed by all nurse participants. Medication administration, documentation and verbal communication were the most time-consuming activities and were conducted most frequently. No significant difference between the two units was found in any category of activities. The average duration of most activities was less than 1min. There was no difference in time utilisation between the endorsed enrolled nurses and the personal carers in providing nursing care. Conclusion Medication administration, documentation and verbal communication were the major tasks in morning shifts in a residential aged care home. Future research can investigate how verbal communication supports nursing care. What is known about the topic? The aging population will substantially increase the demand for residential aged care services. There is a lack of research on nurses' work patterns in residential aged care homes. What does this paper add? The present study provides a comprehensive understanding of nurses' work patterns in a residential aged care home. There is a common work process followed by nurses in providing nursing care. Medication administration, verbal communication and documentation are the most time-consuming activities and they are frequently conducted in the same period of time. Wound care, physical review and documentation on desktop computers are

The Kickstart of the Age of the Earth Race: Revisiting the Experiment of the Comte de Buffon at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pincelli, M. M.; Prat, M. R.; Lescano, G. M.; Formichella, M. del C.; Brustle, M.; Otranto, S.

2018-01-01

In this work, the first experiment ever done to determine the age of the Earth is revisited. The benefits of its application at primary and secondary school levels are presented and discussed. In particular, emphasis is placed on the advantage of facing students with the challenges that scientists have had to overcome during the past three…

Ergonomics strategies and actions for achieving productive use of an ageing work-force.

PubMed

Kumashiro, M

2000-07-01

In this report, a basic ERGOMA (Ergonomics in Industrial Management) strategy is proposed as a policy for corporate production and employment in countries where ageing populations and reduced birth rates are imminent, and a strategy related to this is proposed. Specifically, as a strategy at the company level, the results of survey studies aimed at the development of methods for determining job capacity, to enable effective use of the labour of ageing workers, were summarized. A number of the insights gained here are steps in the development of a foundational methodology for practical use, and in actual practice a number of these insights must be subjected to measurements. However, the theory and newly developed methodology described here are thought to represent significant changes from the approaches to job capacity diagnosis and assessment published in the past and from the stance towards utilization of an ageing work-force. The author is confident that this represents new progress in one of the ergonomics approach to dealing with the working environment of ageing workers and an ageing work-force in general.

Working Memory in Bisphenol-A Treated Middle-Aged Ovariectomized Rats

PubMed Central

Neese, Steven L.; Bandara, Suren B.; Schantz, Susan L.

2014-01-01

Over 90% of the U.S. population has detectable bisphenol-A (BPA) in their urine according to recent biomonitoring data. BPA is best known for its estrogenic properties, and most rodent research on the nervous system effects of BPA has focused on determining if chronic exposures during pre- and perinatal development have organizational effects on brain development and behavior. Estrogens also have important impacts on brain and behavior during adulthood, particularly in females during aging, but the impact of BPA on the adult brain is less studied. We have published a series of studies documenting that chronic exposure to various estrogens including 17β-estradiol, ERβ selective SERMs and soy phytoestrogens impairs performance of middle-aged female rats on an operant working memory task. The purpose of this study was to determine if chronic oral exposure to BPA would alter working memory on this same task. Ovariectomized (OVX) middle-aged Long Evans rats were tested on an operant delayed spatial alternation (DSA) task. Rats were treated for 8–10 weeks with either a 0 (vehicle control), 5 or 50 μg/kg bw/day oral bolus of BPA. A subset of the vehicle control rats were implanted with a Silastic implant containing 17β-estradiol (low physiological range) to serve as a positive control. All rats were tested for 25 sessions on the DSA task. BPA treatment did not influence performance accuracy on the DSA task, whereas 17β-estradiol significantly impaired performance, as previously reported. The results of this study suggest that chronic oral exposure to BPA does not alter working memory processes of middle-aged OVX rats assessed by this operant DSA task. PMID:23339879

Who wants to work with older people? Swedish student nurses' willingness to work in elderly care--a questionnaire study.

PubMed

Carlson, Elisabeth; Idvall, Ewa

2015-07-01

The aging population is a globally recognized challenge for the health care service. The growing number of older people will probably lead to increased demands for nurses working in elderly care. Clinical practice has been shown to have an impact on how student nurses perceive a particular field of nursing. To compare perceptions of the clinical learning environment in nursing homes among students considering a career in aged care or not, and to examine the difference in age, gender and previous working experience as health care assistants in elderly care between the two groups. This was a cross-sectional study using the Swedish version of the Clinical Learning Environment and Nurse Teacher evaluation scale. Consecutive sampling was performed over three semesters from September 2011 to December 2012. The survey was conducted with 183 student nurses. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to examine differences in relation to two groups namely student nurses who did or did not consider to work in elderly care. A chi-square test of independence was performed to examine the difference in age, gender and previous working experience between the two groups. The analysis leaned towards an overall positive evaluation of the clinical learning environment with more positive values for students considering a career. There were no significant differences between younger students (18-23) and older students (24-50) regarding willingness to work in elderly care or not. Neither was any significant difference displayed between students, based on gender nor for previous work experience. Age, gender and previous work experiences as health care assistants did not impact on students' willingness to work in elderly care. Future studies need to acknowledge the complexity of why student nurses choose a particular pathway in nursing by longitudinal studies following cohorts of students during the course of the nursing programme. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Positive Aging in Demanding Workplaces: The Gain Cycle between Job Satisfaction and Work Engagement.

PubMed

Guglielmi, Dina; Avanzi, Lorenzo; Chiesa, Rita; Mariani, Marco G; Bruni, Ilaria; Depolo, Marco

2016-01-01

Nowadays organizations have to cope with two related challenges: maintaining an engaged and highly performing workforce and, at the same time, protecting and increasing employees' well-being and job satisfaction under conditions of a generalized increase of job demand, in an increasingly growing older population. According to the motivational process of the JD-R model, a work environment with many organizational resources will foster work engagement, which in turn will increase the likelihood of positive personal and organizational outcomes, such as job satisfaction, performance, and intention to stay. However, it is not clear how this motivational process could work in different age cohorts, as older workers may have different priorities to those of younger colleagues. Postulating the existence of a gain-cycle in the relationship between work engagement and outcomes, in this study we tested a longitudinal moderated mediation model in which job satisfaction increases over time through an increment in work engagement. We hypothesized that this process is moderated by job demand and aging. We collected data in public administrations in Northern Italy in order to measure work engagement and job satisfaction. 556 workers aged between 50 and 64 replied to the survey twice (the first time and 8 months later). The findings confirmed a moderated mediation model, in which job satisfaction at time 1 increased work engagement, which in turn fostered job satisfaction 8 months later, confirming the hypothesized gain-cycle. This relationship was shown to be moderated by the joint influence of job demand intensity and age: higher job demands and younger age are related to the maximum level of level gain cycle, while the same high level of job demands, when associated with older age, appears unable to stimulate a similar effect. The results confirm that, on one hand, older workers cannot be seen as a homogeneous group and, on the other hand, the importance of considering the role

Positive Aging in Demanding Workplaces: The Gain Cycle between Job Satisfaction and Work Engagement

PubMed Central

Guglielmi, Dina; Avanzi, Lorenzo; Chiesa, Rita; Mariani, Marco G.; Bruni, Ilaria; Depolo, Marco

2016-01-01

Nowadays organizations have to cope with two related challenges: maintaining an engaged and highly performing workforce and, at the same time, protecting and increasing employees’ well-being and job satisfaction under conditions of a generalized increase of job demand, in an increasingly growing older population. According to the motivational process of the JD-R model, a work environment with many organizational resources will foster work engagement, which in turn will increase the likelihood of positive personal and organizational outcomes, such as job satisfaction, performance, and intention to stay. However, it is not clear how this motivational process could work in different age cohorts, as older workers may have different priorities to those of younger colleagues. Postulating the existence of a gain-cycle in the relationship between work engagement and outcomes, in this study we tested a longitudinal moderated mediation model in which job satisfaction increases over time through an increment in work engagement. We hypothesized that this process is moderated by job demand and aging. We collected data in public administrations in Northern Italy in order to measure work engagement and job satisfaction. 556 workers aged between 50 and 64 replied to the survey twice (the first time and 8 months later). The findings confirmed a moderated mediation model, in which job satisfaction at time 1 increased work engagement, which in turn fostered job satisfaction 8 months later, confirming the hypothesized gain-cycle. This relationship was shown to be moderated by the joint influence of job demand intensity and age: higher job demands and younger age are related to the maximum level of level gain cycle, while the same high level of job demands, when associated with older age, appears unable to stimulate a similar effect. The results confirm that, on one hand, older workers cannot be seen as a homogeneous group and, on the other hand, the importance of considering the

The Dynamic between Work Values and Part-Time Work Experiences across the High School Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porfeli, Erik J.

2008-01-01

The work value system, its development, and its relationship with work experiences can be modeled as an adaptive control system [Ford, D. H., & Lerner, R. M. (1992). "Developmental systems theory: An integrative approach". Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications]. This study employed longitudinal data from 1000 participants (Youth Development Study;…

The global Filipino nurse: An integrative review of Filipino nurses' work experiences.

PubMed

Montayre, Jed; Montayre, Jasmine; Holroyd, Eleanor

2018-05-01

To understand the work-related experiences of Philippine-trained nurses working globally. The Philippines is a major source country of foreign-trained nurses located globally. However, there is paucity of research on professional factors and career related issues affecting foreign-trained nurses' work experiences. An integrative review through a comprehensive search of literature was undertaken from November 2015 and was repeated in August 2016. Seven articles satisfied the selection criteria. Filipino nurses experienced differences in the practice of nursing in terms of work process, roles and autonomy. Moreover, they encountered challenges such as work-related discrimination and technical difficulties within the organisation. A clear understanding of Filipino nurses' work experiences and the challenges they have encountered suggests identification of important constructs influencing effective translation of nursing practice across cultures and health systems, which then form the basis for support strategies. It is critical to recognize foreign-trained nurses' experience of work-related differences and challenges as these foster favorable conditions for the management team to plan and continually evaluate policies around recruitment, retention and support offered to these nurses. Furthermore, findings suggest internationalization of nursing framework and standards integrating a transcultural paradigm among staff members within a work organisation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Resilience, work engagement and stress reactivity in a middle-aged manual worker population.

PubMed

Black, Julie K; Balanos, George M; Whittaker Previously Phillips, Anna C

2017-06-01

Work stress is a growing problem in Europe. Together, the negative physiological effect of stress on health, and increasing age increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in those aged over 50years. Therefore, identifying older workers who may be at risk of work-related stress, and its physiological effects, is key to promoting their health and wellbeing in the workforce. The present study examined the relationship between perceived psychological resilience and work-related factors (work engagement and presenteeism) and the physiological response to acute psychological stress in older manual workers in the UK. Thirty-one participants, mean (SD) age 54.9 (3.78)years reported perceived levels of resilience, work engagement, and presenteeism using standardized questionnaires. Cardiovascular measurements (heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) and salivary cortisol were used to assess their physiological response to an acute psychological stress task. Resilience was not associated with work-related factors or reactivity. However, workers with higher work engagement showed lower SBP (p=0.02) and HR (p=0.001) reactivity than those with lower work engagement. Further, those with higher sickness presenteeism also had higher HR reactivity (p=0.03). This suggests a potential pathway by which higher work stress might contribute to the risk of future cardiovascular disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anxiety and depression in working-age cancer survivors: a register-based study.

PubMed

Inhestern, Laura; Beierlein, Volker; Bultmann, Johanna Christine; Möller, Birgit; Romer, Georg; Koch, Uwe; Bergelt, Corinna

2017-05-19

Anxiety and depression can be a long-term strain in cancer survivors. Little is known about the emotional situation of cancer survivors who have to deal with work- and family-related issues. The purpose of this study was to investigate anxiety and depression in working-age cancer survivors and associated factors. A register-based sample of 3370 cancer survivors (25 to 55 years at time of diagnosis) diagnosed up to six years prior to the survey was recruited from two German cancer registries. Demographic and medical characteristics as well as self-reported measures were used. Overall, approximately 40% of the survivors reported moderate to high anxiety scores and approximately 20% reported moderate to high depression scores. Compared to the general population, working-age cancer survivors were more anxious but less depressed (p < .001). Subgroups with regard to time since diagnosis did not differ in anxiety or depression. Anxiety and depression in cancer survivors were associated with various variables. Better social support, family functioning and physical health were associated with lower anxiety and depression. Overall, we found higher anxiety levels in cancer survivors of working-age than in the general population. A considerable portion of cancer survivors reported moderate to high levels of anxiety and depression. The results indicate the need for psychosocial screening and psycho-oncological support e.g. in survivorship programs for working-age cancer survivors. Assessing the physical health, social support and family background might help to identify survivors at risk for higher emotional distress.

Does Strategy Training Reduce Age-Related Deficits in Working Memory?

PubMed Central

Bailey, Heather R.; Dunlosky, John; Hertzog, Christopher

2014-01-01

Background Older adults typically perform worse on measures of working memory (WM) than do young adults; however, age-related differences in WM performance might be reduced if older adults use effective encoding strategies (Bailey, Dunlosky, & Hertzog, 2009). Objective The purpose of the current experiment was to evaluate WM performance after training individuals to use effective encoding strategies. Methods Participants in the training group (older adults: n = 39; young adults: n = 41) were taught about various verbal encoding strategies and their differential effectiveness and were trained to use interactive imagery and sentence generation on a list-learning task. Participants in the control group (older: n=37; young: n=38) completed an equally engaging filler task. All participants completed a pre-training and post-training reading span task, which included self-reported strategy use, as well as two transfer tasks that differed in the affordance to use the trained strategies – a paired-associate recall task and the self-ordered pointing task. Results Both young and older adults were able to use the target strategies on the WM task and showed gains in WM performance after training. The age-related WM deficit was not greatly affected, however, and the training gains did not transfer to the other cognitive tasks. In fact, participants attempted to adapt the trained strategies for a paired-associate recall task, but the increased strategy use did not benefit their performance. Conclusions Strategy training can boost WM performance, and its benefits appear to arise from strategy-specific effects and not from domain-general gains in cognitive ability. PMID:24577079

Latina/o Food Industry Employees' Work Experiences: Work Barriers, Facilitators, Motivators, Training Preferences, and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanagui-Munoz, Marlen; Garriott, Patton O.; Flores, Lisa Y.; Cho, Seonghee; Groves, James

2012-01-01

The present study explored the work experiences, job satisfaction, and work behaviors of Latina/o restaurant workers. A total of 10 semistructured focus group (N = 75) interviews were conducted in the Midwest and Southwest. Data were analyzed using a combination of Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR; Hill et al., 2005; Hill, Thompson, &…

Reference values for physical performance measures in the aging working population.

PubMed

Cote, Mark P; Kenny, Anne; Dussetschleger, Jeffrey; Farr, Dana; Chaurasia, Ashok; Cherniack, Martin

2014-02-01

The aim of this study was to determine reference physical performance values in older aging workers. Cross-sectional physical performance measures were collected for 736 manufacturing workers to assess effects of work and nonwork factors on age-related changes in musculoskeletal function and health. Participants underwent surveys and physical testing that included bioelectrical impedance analysis, range-of-motion measures, exercise testing, and dynamic assessment. Physical characteristics, such as blood pressure and body fat percentage, were comparable to published values. Dynamic and range-of-motion measurements differed from published normative results. Women had age-related decreases in cervical extension and lateral rotation. Older men had better spinal flexion than expected. Predicted age-related decline in lower-extremity strength and shoulder strength in women was not seen. Men declined in handgrip, lower-extremity strength, and knee extension strength, but not trunk strength, across age groups. There was no appreciable decline in muscle fatigue at the trunk, shoulder, and knee with aging for either gender, except for the youngest age group of women. Normative values may underestimate physical performance in "healthy" older workers, thereby underappreciating declines in less healthy older workers. Work may be preservative of function for a large group of selected individuals. A "healthy worker effect" may be greater for musculoskeletal disease and function than for heart disease and mortality. Clinicians and researchers studying musculoskeletal function in older workers can use a more specific set of reference values.

Increased working memory-related brain activity in middle-aged women with cognitive complaints.

PubMed

Dumas, Julie A; Kutz, Amanda M; McDonald, Brenna C; Naylor, Magdalena R; Pfaff, Ashley C; Saykin, Andrew J; Newhouse, Paul A

2013-04-01

Individuals who report subjective cognitive complaints but perform normally on neuropsychological tests might be at increased risk for pathological cognitive aging. The current study examined the effects of the presence of subjective cognitive complaints on functional brain activity during a working memory task in a sample of middle-aged postmenopausal women. Twenty-three postmenopausal women aged 50-60 completed a cognitive complaint battery of questionnaires. Using 20% of items endorsed as the threshold, 12 women were categorized as cognitive complainers (CC) and 11 were noncomplainers (NC). All subjects then took part in a functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning session during which they completed a visual-verbal N-back test of working memory. Results showed no difference in working memory performance between CC and NC groups. However, the CC group showed greater activation relative to the NC group in a broad network involved in working memory including the middle frontal gyrus (Brodmann area [BA] 9 and 10), the precuneus (BA 7), and the cingulate gyrus (BA 24 and 32). The CC group recruited additional regions of the working memory network compared with the NC group as the working memory load and difficulty of the task increased. This study showed brain activation differences during working memory performance in a middle-aged group of postmenopausal women with subjective cognitive complaints but without objective cognitive deficit. These findings suggest that subjective cognitive complaints in postmenopausal women might be associated with increased cortical activity during effort-demanding cognitive tasks. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ten years' experience conducting the Aging Game workshop: was it worth it?

PubMed

Pacala, James T; Boult, Chad; Hepburn, Ken

2006-01-01

In the Aging Game, medical students experience simulated physical, sensory, and cognitive deficits that are associated with disability from chronic diseases. Since 1994, the University of Minnesota has presented an innovative version of the Aging Game as part of the curriculum in a required clinical clerkship. The experiences conducting the Aging Game over the past decade were reviewed, focusing on the resources necessary to produce it and on its worth as an educational tool. Because many of the reusable props were obtained free as donations, start-up material costs were calculated at 530 dollars. Personnel necessary for each half-day presentation of the Aging Game included two faculty and a minimum of five nonfaculty serving as facilitators; a staff coordinator was also essential. Quantitative student evaluations (N=673) exhibited mean ratings of 1.41, 1.35, and 1.40 (1=excellent) for overall value, teaching effectiveness, and quality of a postsimulation discussion. Written student comments regarding the strengths of the Aging Game centered on three major themes: mode of learning, especially using role playing and simulating deficits (total of 192 comments); attitudinal change, specifically raising awareness and stimulating reflection on the experiences of disabled older adults (121 comments); and educational value, particularly the Aging Game's capacity for creating a memorable impression (56 comments). Despite consuming significant personnel resources, the Minnesota version of the Aging Game is an effective tool for stimulating long-lasting awareness and understanding of key issues related to aging and geriatrics.

Quality of work life: experiences of Iranian nurses.

PubMed

Vagharseyyedin, Seyyed Abolfazl; Vanaki, Zohreh; Mohammadi, Eesa

2011-03-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experiences of Iranian nurses concerning their quality of work life. A purposive sample of nurses (n = 14) was recruited from two university hospitals. The data were collected through unstructured interviews and were analyzed by using qualitative content analysis. The results indicated that the participants discerned their quality of work life by assessing how favorable were their working conditions, the level of fulfilment of their personal needs, and the impact of their working conditions on their private life and their social life. Three main themes were identified: quality of work life, as experienced from a personal perspective; quality of work life, as experienced from a sociocultural perspective; and quality of work life, as experienced from an organizational-professional perspective. The results of the present study will help Iranian nurse administrators to adopt effective strategies in order to improve nurses' quality of work life. Future research can broaden the scope of the current results and offer a more comprehensive understanding of nurses' quality of work life. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Parents' Working Hours: Adolescent Children's Views and Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Jane; Noden, Philip; Sarre, Sophie

2008-01-01

As dual-earner families have become the norm, the different kinds of "time" children spend with parents has become an important issue. We use the 2000 Time Use Survey to identify adolescent children spending time alone at home, and interviews with 50 children aged 14 and 15 to explore young people's experiences. We investigate their views on their…

Social Work Knowledge of Facts on Aging: Influence of Field and Classroom Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birkenmaier, Julie; Rowan, Noell L.; Damron-Rodriguez, JoAnn; Lawrance, Frances P.; Volland, Patricia J.

2009-01-01

Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) was used to measure aging knowledge outcomes of 323 practicum students engaged in aging-focused practica at pre- and posttest across 11 universities. Significant improvement in knowledge scores (p = 0.0001) was found for graduates of the enhanced field education programs. Taking aging course work was a…

Employment and absenteeism in working-age persons with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Salter, Amber; Thomas, Nina; Tyry, Tuula; Cutter, Gary; Marrie, Ruth Ann

2017-05-01

To better understand the impact of the clinical course of multiple sclerosis (MS) and disability on employment, absenteeism, and related factors. This study included respondents to the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis Registry spring 2015 update survey who were US or Canadian residents, aged 18-65 years and reported having relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), secondary progressive MS (SPMS), or primary progressive MS (PPMS). The RRMS and SPMS participants were combined to form the relapsing-onset MS (RMS) group and compared with the PPMS group regarding employment status, absenteeism, and disability. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between employment-related outcomes and factors that may affect these relationships. Of the 8004 survey respondents, 5887 (73.6%) were 18-65 years of age. The PPMS group (n = 344) had a higher proportion of males and older mean age at the time of the survey and at time of diagnosis than the RMS group (n = 4829). Female sex, age, age at diagnosis, cognitive and hand function impairment, fatigue, higher disability levels, ≥3 comorbidities, and a diagnosis of PPMS were associated with not working. After adjustment for disability, the employed PPMS sub-group reported similar levels of absenteeism to the employed RMS sub-group. Limitations of the study include self-report of information and the possibility that participants may not fully represent the working-age MS population. In MS, employment status and absenteeism are negatively affected by disability, cognitive impairment, and fatigue. These findings underscore the need for therapies that prevent disability progression and other symptoms that negatively affect productivity in persons with MS to enable them to persist in the workforce.

When Are Teachers Motivated to Work beyond Retirement Age? The Importance of Support, Change of Work Role and Money

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bal, P. Matthijs; Visser, Michel S.

2011-01-01

This article investigates the factors influencing the motivation to continue working after retirement among a sample of Dutch teachers. Based on previous research, it was proposed that teachers will be motivated to work after their legal retirement age when organizational support, possibilities to change work roles and financial needs are high.…

The Effects of Age, Years of Experience, and Type of Experience in the Teacher Selection Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vail, David Scott

2010-01-01

Paper screening in the pre-selection process of hiring teachers has been the focus in an ongoing series of similar studies starting with Allison in 1981. There have been many independent variables, including, but not limited to, age, gender, ethnic background, years of experience, type of experience, and grade point average, introduced into the…

Work Experiences and Family Functioning among Employed Fathers with Children of School Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinnunen, Ulla; And Others

1996-01-01

Investigated how 657 fathers' job satisfaction and job stress were related to four domains: individual, parent-child, marital, and child. Results showed that the job affected all four domains. Job stress and job satisfaction were directly related to family functioning. Discusses implications for families with school-age children. (RJM)

Combined effects of noise and shift work on fatigue as a function of age.

PubMed

Saremi, Mahnaz; Rohmer, Odile; Burgmeier, André; Bonnefond, Anne; Muzet, Alain; Tassi, Patricia

2008-01-01

The study was conducted to analyse possible interactions between noise and shift work, and fatigue as a function of age. In a large questionnaire survey, we assessed personal and environmental risk factors related to fatigue. Noise exposure at work (L(Aeq, 8hr)) was measured with personal noise dosimetry. The sample included 254 day and shift workers, and was divided into 2 age groups (<40- and >40-year-olds). Noise exposure had a main effect on fatigue. The highest noise exposure resulted in an increase in the fatigue level of older shift workers. The quantity of sleep mainly depended on the type of shift and age. Our data suggest that the most important factor generating fatigue could be related to industrial noise exposure, a factor which seems to aggravate work-related fatigue generated in a synergic manner by shift work and ageing. Senior workers should be prevented from cumulating those occupational stressors.

Working beyond 65: a qualitative study of perceived hazards and discomforts at work.

PubMed

Reynolds, Frances; Farrow, Alexandra; Blank, Alison

2013-01-01

This qualitative study explored self-reports of hazards and discomforts in the workplace and coping strategies among those choosing to work beyond the age of 65 years. 30 people aged 66-91 years took part. Most worked part-time in professional or administrative roles. Each participant engaged in one semi-structured interview. Participants described some hazards and discomforts in their current work, but no recent accidents. The main age-related discomfort was tiredness. Other hazards that recurred in participants' accounts were physical demands of the job, driving, and interpersonal difficulties such as client or customer complaints, and in very rare cases, bullying. Most work-related hazards (e.g. prolonged sitting at computers, lifting heavy items and driving) were thought likely to affect any worker regardless of age. Coping strategies included making adaptations to age-related changes (such as decreased stamina) by keeping fit and being open about difficulties to colleagues, reducing hours of work, altering roles at work, limiting driving, applying expertise derived from previous work experiences, being assertive, using authority and status, and (among the minority employed in larger organisations) making use of supportive company/organisational policies and practices. Participants described taking individual responsibility for managing hazards at work and perceived little or no elevation of risk linked to age.

Audio-visual speech experience with age influences perceived audio-visual asynchrony in speech.

PubMed

Alm, Magnus; Behne, Dawn

2013-10-01

Previous research indicates that perception of audio-visual (AV) synchrony changes in adulthood. Possible explanations for these age differences include a decline in hearing acuity, a decline in cognitive processing speed, and increased experience with AV binding. The current study aims to isolate the effect of AV experience by comparing synchrony judgments from 20 young adults (20 to 30 yrs) and 20 normal-hearing middle-aged adults (50 to 60 yrs), an age range for which a decline of cognitive processing speed is expected to be minimal. When presented with AV stop consonant syllables with asynchronies ranging from 440 ms audio-lead to 440 ms visual-lead, middle-aged adults showed significantly less tolerance for audio-lead than young adults. Middle-aged adults also showed a greater shift in their point of subjective simultaneity than young adults. Natural audio-lead asynchronies are arguably more predictable than natural visual-lead asynchronies, and this predictability may render audio-lead thresholds more prone to experience-related fine-tuning.

Working memory in bisphenol-A treated middle-aged ovariectomized rats.

PubMed

Neese, Steven L; Bandara, Suren B; Schantz, Susan L

2013-01-01

Over 90% of the U.S. population has detectable bisphenol-A (BPA) in their urine according to recent biomonitoring data. BPA is best known for its estrogenic properties, and most rodent research on the nervous system effects of BPA has focused on determining if chronic exposures during pre- and perinatal development have organizational effects on brain development and behavior. Estrogens also have important impacts on brain and behavior during adulthood, particularly in females during aging, but the impact of BPA on the adult brain is less studied. We have published a series of studies documenting that chronic exposure to various estrogens including 17β-estradiol, ERβ selective SERMs and soy phytoestrogens impairs performance of middle-aged female rats on an operant working memory task. The purpose of this study was to determine if chronic oral exposure to BPA would alter working memory on this same task. Ovariectomized (OVX) middle-aged Long Evans rats were tested on an operant delayed spatial alternation (DSA) task. Rats were treated for 8-10 weeks with either a 0 (vehicle control), 5 or 50 μg/kg bw/day oral bolus of BPA. A subset of the vehicle control rats was implanted with a Silastic implant containing 17β-estradiol (low physiological range) to serve as a positive control. All rats were tested for 25 sessions on the DSA task. BPA treatment did not influence performance accuracy on the DSA task, whereas 17β-estradiol significantly impaired performance, as previously reported. The results of this study suggest that chronic oral exposure to BPA does not alter working memory processes of middle-aged OVX rats assessed by this operant DSA task. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Relationship Between Age, Tenure, and Disability Duration in Persons With Compensated Work-Related Conditions

PubMed Central

Besen, Elyssa; Young, Amanda E.; Gaines, Brittany; Pransky, Glenn

2016-01-01

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the relationships among age, tenure, and the length of disability following a work-related injury/illness. Methods: This study utilized 361,754 administrative workers’ compensation claims. The relationships between age, tenure, and disability duration was estimated with random-effects models. Results: The age-disability duration relationship was stronger than the tenure-disability duration relationship. An interaction was observed between age and tenure. At younger ages, disability duration varied little based on tenure. In midlife, disability duration was greater for workers with lower tenure than for workers with higher tenure. At the oldest ages, disability duration increased as tenure increased. Conclusions: Findings indicate that age is a more important factor in disability duration than tenure; however, the relationship between age and disability duration varies based on tenure, suggesting that both age and tenure are important influences in the work-disability process. PMID:26645384

Relationship Between Age, Tenure, and Disability Duration in Persons With Compensated Work-Related Conditions.

PubMed

Besen, Elyssa; Young, Amanda E; Gaines, Brittany; Pransky, Glenn

2016-02-01

The aim of the study was to examine the relationships among age, tenure, and the length of disability following a work-related injury/illness. This study utilized 361,754 administrative workers' compensation claims. The relationships between age, tenure, and disability duration was estimated with random-effects models. The age-disability duration relationship was stronger than the tenure-disability duration relationship. An interaction was observed between age and tenure. At younger ages, disability duration varied little based on tenure. In midlife, disability duration was greater for workers with lower tenure than for workers with higher tenure. At the oldest ages, disability duration increased as tenure increased. Findings indicate that age is a more important factor in disability duration than tenure; however, the relationship between age and disability duration varies based on tenure, suggesting that both age and tenure are important influences in the work-disability process.

Faculty Experiences of Merger and Organizational Change in a Social Work Program.

PubMed

Adedoyin, A Christson; Miller, Monte; Jackson, Mary S; Dodor, Bernice; Hall, Kristen

2016-01-01

Social work programs are experiencing unprecedented organizational changes due to budget cuts, dwindling resources, global, and technological challenges. However, there is limited information in the literature about the merger experiences of faculty in social work programs. On one hand undergoing merger and reorganization provides the opportunity to reorganize, reprioritize, re-assess, develop strategies, and explore previously untapped opportunities for social work programs. Conversely, merger experiences have caused frustration, intention to quit, confusion, and loss of professional identity for social work faculty. In this article the authors utilize a journaling method and sense-making approach of the merger experiences of some of the faculty members of a social work program in the United States. The authors suggest a framework to understand how the faculty confronted the challenges, overcame the pitfalls, and maximized the opportunities offered during the merger and organizational change process.

Enhancing resilience in registered aged care nurses.

PubMed

Cameron, Fiona; Brownie, Sonya

2010-06-01

To identify the factors that impact the resilience of registered aged care nurses, that is their capacity to adapt to the physical, mental and emotional demands of working in aged care facilities. This study explored the lived experience of nine registered nurses working in residential aged care facilities on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, who were asked to reflect on the phenomenon of resilience in the workplace. This study found that clinical expertise, a sense of purpose in a holistic care environment, a positive attitude and work-life balance are important determinants of resilience in aged care nurses. Resilience in nurses in residential aged care facilities is enhanced when they are able to maintain long-term, meaningful relationships with residents. Collegial support that provides opportunities to debrief and validate experiences as well as the use of humour to defuse stress promotes well-being and builds resilience in the workplace.

Working memory, age, and hearing loss: susceptibility to hearing aid distortion.

PubMed

Arehart, Kathryn H; Souza, Pamela; Baca, Rosalinda; Kates, James M

2013-01-01

Hearing aids use complex processing intended to improve speech recognition. Although many listeners benefit from such processing, it can also introduce distortion that offsets or cancels intended benefits for some individuals. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of cognitive ability (working memory) on individual listeners' responses to distortion caused by frequency compression applied to noisy speech. The present study analyzed a large data set of intelligibility scores for frequency-compressed speech presented in quiet and at a range of signal-to-babble ratios. The intelligibility data set was based on scores from 26 adults with hearing loss with ages ranging from 62 to 92 years. The listeners were grouped based on working memory ability. The amount of signal modification (distortion) caused by frequency compression and noise was measured using a sound quality metric. Analysis of variance and hierarchical linear modeling were used to identify meaningful differences between subject groups as a function of signal distortion caused by frequency compression and noise. Working memory was a significant factor in listeners' intelligibility of sentences presented in babble noise and processed with frequency compression based on sinusoidal modeling. At maximum signal modification (caused by both frequency compression and babble noise), the factor of working memory (when controlling for age and hearing loss) accounted for 29.3% of the variance in intelligibility scores. Combining working memory, age, and hearing loss accounted for a total of 47.5% of the variability in intelligibility scores. Furthermore, as the total amount of signal distortion increased, listeners with higher working memory performed better on the intelligibility task than listeners with lower working memory did. Working memory is a significant factor in listeners' responses to total signal distortion caused by cumulative effects of babble noise and frequency compression

Kuipers works to remove the Marangoni Suface Fluid Physics Experiment

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-15

ISS030-E-142784 (15 March 2012) --- European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers, Expedition 30 flight engineer, works to remove the Marangoni Surface fluid physics experiment from the Fluid Physics Experiment Facility (FPEF) in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station.

Kuipers works to remove the Marangoni Suface Fluid Physics Experiment

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-15

ISS030-E-142785 (15 March 2012) --- European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers, Expedition 30 flight engineer, works to remove the Marangoni Surface fluid physics experiment from the Fluid Physics Experiment Facility (FPEF) in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station.

Isolating Age-Group Differences in Working Memory Load-Related Neural Activity: Assessing the Contribution of Working Memory Capacity Using a Partial-Trial fMRI Method

PubMed Central

Bennett, Ilana J.; Rivera, Hannah G.; Rypma, Bart

2013-01-01

Previous studies examining age-group differences in working memory load-related neural activity have yielded mixed results. When present, age-group differences in working memory capacity are frequently proposed to underlie these neural effects. However, direct relationships between working memory capacity and working memory load-related activity have only been observed in younger adults. These relationships remain untested in healthy aging. Therefore, the present study examined patterns of working memory load-related activity in 22 younger and 20 older adults and assessed the contribution of working memory capacity to these load-related effects. Participants performed a partial-trial delayed response item recognition task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. In this task, participants encoded either 2 or 6 letters, maintained them during a delay, and then indicated whether a probe was present in the memory set. Behavioral results revealed faster and more accurate responses to load 2 versus 6, with age-group differences in this load condition effect for the accuracy measure. Neuroimaging results revealed one region (medial superior frontal gyrus) that showed age-group differences in load-related activity during the retrieval period, with less (greater) neural activity for the low versus high load condition in younger (older) adults. Furthermore, for older adults, load-related activity did not vary as a function of working memory capacity. Thus, working memory-related activity varies with healthy aging, but these patterns are not due solely to working memory capacity. Neurocognitive aging theories that feature capacity will need to account for these results. PMID:23357076

Isolating age-group differences in working memory load-related neural activity: assessing the contribution of working memory capacity using a partial-trial fMRI method.

PubMed

Bennett, Ilana J; Rivera, Hannah G; Rypma, Bart

2013-05-15

Previous studies examining age-group differences in working memory load-related neural activity have yielded mixed results. When present, age-group differences in working memory capacity are frequently proposed to underlie these neural effects. However, direct relationships between working memory capacity and working memory load-related activity have only been observed in younger adults. These relationships remain untested in healthy aging. Therefore, the present study examined patterns of working memory load-related activity in 22 younger and 20 older adults and assessed the contribution of working memory capacity to these load-related effects. Participants performed a partial-trial delayed response item recognition task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. In this task, participants encoded either 2 or 6 letters, maintained them during a delay, and then indicated whether a probe was present in the memory set. Behavioral results revealed faster and more accurate responses to load 2 versus 6, with age-group differences in this load condition effect for the accuracy measure. Neuroimaging results revealed one region (medial superior frontal gyrus) that showed age-group differences in load-related activity during the retrieval period, with less (greater) neural activity for the low versus high load condition in younger (older) adults. Furthermore, for older adults, load-related activity did not vary as a function of working memory capacity. Thus, working memory-related activity varies with healthy aging, but these patterns are not due solely to working memory capacity. Neurocognitive aging theories that feature capacity will need to account for these results. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does Work Contribute to Successful Aging Outcomes in Older Workers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Martha J.; McCready, Jack W.

2010-01-01

Older workers are the fastest growing segment of the labor force, yet little is known about designing jobs for older workers that optimize their experiences relative to aging successfully. This study examined the contribution of workplace job design (opportunities for decision-making, skill variety, coworker support, supervisor support) to…

Children, Families and Interagency Work: Experiences of Partnership Work in Primary Education Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milbourne, Linda

2005-01-01

Despite UK government initiatives intended to address social exclusion, those with poor access to social and economic resources continue to experience unresponsive services. In these circumstances, small inter-agency projects may offer accessible alternatives. This article explores the implementation of inter-agency work at a local level, focusing…

Keep Up the Good Work! Age-Moderated Mediation Model on Intention to Retire

PubMed Central

Dordoni, Paola; Van der Heijden, Beatrice; Peters, Pascale; Kraus-Hoogeveen, Sascha; Argentero, Piergiorgio

2017-01-01

In European nations, the aging of the workforce is a major issue which is increasingly addressed both in national and organizational policies in order to sustain older workers' employability and to encourage longer working lives. Particularly older workers' employability can be viewed an important issue as this has the potential to motivate them for their work and change their intention to retire. Based on lifespan development theories and Van der Heijden's ‘employability enhancement model’, this paper develops and tests an age-moderated mediation model (which refers to the processes that we want to test in this model), linking older workers' (55 years old and over) perceptions of job support for learning (job-related factor) and perceptions of negative age stereotypes on productivity (organizational factor), on the one hand, and their intention to retire, on the other hand, via their participation in employability enhancing activities, being the mediator in our model. A total of 2,082 workers aged 55 years and above were included in the analyses. Results revealed that the two proposed relationships between the predictors and intention to retire were mediated by participation in employability enhancing activities, reflecting two mechanisms through which work context affects intention to retire (namely ‘a gain spiral and a loss spiral’). Multi-Group SEM analyses, distinguishing between two age groups (55–60 and 61–65 years old), revealed different paths for the two distinguished groups of older workers. Employability mediated the relationship between perceptions of job support for learning and intention to retire in both age groups, whereas it only mediated the relationship between perceptions of negative age stereotypes and intention to retire in the 55–60 group. From our empirical study, we may conclude that employability is an important factor in the light of older workers' intention to retire. In order to motivate this category of workers to

Keep Up the Good Work! Age-Moderated Mediation Model on Intention to Retire.

PubMed

Dordoni, Paola; Van der Heijden, Beatrice; Peters, Pascale; Kraus-Hoogeveen, Sascha; Argentero, Piergiorgio

2017-01-01

In European nations, the aging of the workforce is a major issue which is increasingly addressed both in national and organizational policies in order to sustain older workers' employability and to encourage longer working lives. Particularly older workers' employability can be viewed an important issue as this has the potential to motivate them for their work and change their intention to retire. Based on lifespan development theories and Van der Heijden's 'employability enhancement model', this paper develops and tests an age-moderated mediation model (which refers to the processes that we want to test in this model), linking older workers' (55 years old and over) perceptions of job support for learning (job-related factor) and perceptions of negative age stereotypes on productivity (organizational factor), on the one hand, and their intention to retire, on the other hand, via their participation in employability enhancing activities, being the mediator in our model. A total of 2,082 workers aged 55 years and above were included in the analyses. Results revealed that the two proposed relationships between the predictors and intention to retire were mediated by participation in employability enhancing activities, reflecting two mechanisms through which work context affects intention to retire (namely 'a gain spiral and a loss spiral'). Multi-Group SEM analyses, distinguishing between two age groups (55-60 and 61-65 years old), revealed different paths for the two distinguished groups of older workers. Employability mediated the relationship between perceptions of job support for learning and intention to retire in both age groups, whereas it only mediated the relationship between perceptions of negative age stereotypes and intention to retire in the 55-60 group. From our empirical study, we may conclude that employability is an important factor in the light of older workers' intention to retire. In order to motivate this category of workers to participate in

Gender differences in episodic memory and visual working memory including the effects of age.

PubMed

Pauls, Franz; Petermann, Franz; Lepach, Anja Christina

2013-01-01

Analysing the relationship between gender and memory, and examining the effects of age on the overall memory-related functioning, are the ongoing goals of psychological research. The present study examined gender and age group differences in episodic memory with respect to the type of task. In addition, these subgroup differences were also analysed in visual working memory. A sample of 366 women and 330 men, aged between 16 and 69 years of age, participated in the current study. Results indicate that women outperformed men on auditory memory tasks, whereas male adolescents and older male adults showed higher level performances on visual episodic and visual working memory measures. However, the size of gender-linked effects varied somewhat across age groups. Furthermore, results partly support a declining performance on episodic memory and visual working memory measures with increasing age. Although age-related losses in episodic memory could not be explained by a decreasing verbal and visuospatial ability with age, women's advantage in auditory episodic memory could be explained by their advantage in verbal ability. Men's higher level visual episodic memory performance was found to result from their advantage in visuospatial ability. Finally, possible methodological, biological, and cognitive explanations for the current findings are discussed.

The impact of within and between role experiences on role balance outcomes for working Sandwich Generation Women.

PubMed

Evans, Kiah L; Millsteed, Jeannine; Richmond, Janet E; Falkmer, Marita; Falkmer, Torbjorn; Girdler, Sonya J

2018-03-15

Women combining paid employment with dual caring responsibilities for children and aging parents, otherwise known as the sandwich generation, experience both benefits and costs related to role participation and quality of life. However, previous literature is inconclusive regarding the impact of this role combination on role balance. In the context of these mixed findings on role balance for working sandwich generation women, this study aimed to explore how within role characteristics and between role interactions are related to role balance for these women. This aim was achieved through the use of a questionnaire administered to 18 Australian working sandwich generation women. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation coefficients, with findings suggesting the women studied tended to experience neither role balance or role imbalance. Within-role characteristics, particularly within the mother and family member roles, were related to role balance. In addition, between-role conflict and role interactions involving either the home maintainer or family member roles had the greatest impact on role balance.

Experiences of participating in return-to-work group programmes for people with musculoskeletal disorders: A focus group study.

PubMed

Hamnes, Bente; Rønningen, Aud; Skarbø, Åse

2017-09-01

The present study aimed to explore the experiences of individuals with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) who had participated in return-to-work group programmes (RTW-GPs) and to assess whether the programmes had had an impact on their work disability. Three focus group interviews and one individual interview were conducted involving 17 women (mean age = 47) with MSDs who had completed RTW-GPs. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analyses. Participant experiences were categorised into three main themes: changed way of thinking, the importance of being able to work, and a changed lifestyle. The respondents said that participation in the RTW-GPs had enabled them to shift their focus from problems to opportunities. They had become more aware of strategies to enhance their energy levels and continue working. Several participants had reduced their work hours to achieve a better balance between work and daily life. Many participants had also changed their lifestyle habits, which had led to weight reduction, more energy and less pain. The study participants had attained a heightened awareness of what they could do to continue working. Many participants had introduced changes in their daily lives, with consequences for employment, social life and lifestyle. The findings suggest that RTW-GPs can help people with MSDs to remain in employment and prevent absenteeism. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Investigation of Psychophysiological and Subjective Effects of Long Working Hours – Do Age and Hearing Impairment Matter?

PubMed Central

Wagner-Hartl, Verena; Kallus, K. Wolfgang

2018-01-01

Following current prognosis, demographic development raises expectations of an aging of the working population. Therefore, keeping employees healthy and strengthening their ability to work, becomes more and more important. When employees become older, dealing with age-related impairments of sensory functions, such as hearing impairment, is a central issue. Recent evidence suggests that negative effects that are associated with reduced hearing can have a strong impact at work. Especially under exhausting working situations such as working overtime hours, age and hearing impairment might influence employees’ well-being. Until now, neither the problem of aged workers and long working hours, nor the problem of hearing impairment and prolonged working time has been addressed explicitly. Therefore, a laboratory study was examined to answer the research question: Do age and hearing impairment have an impact on psychophysiological and subjective effects of long working hours. In total, 51 white-collar workers, aged between 24 and 63 years, participated in the laboratory study. The results show no significant effects for age and hearing impairment on the intensity of subjective consequences (perceived recovery and fatigue, subjective emotional well-being and physical symptoms) of long working hours. However, the psychophysiological response (the saliva cortisol level) to long working hours differs significantly between hearing impaired and normal hearing employees. Interestingly, the results suggest that from a psychophysiological point of view long working hours were more demanding for normal hearing employees. PMID:29379452

Are Early Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors Related to Working Memory at 7 and 14 Years of Age?

PubMed

López-Vicente, Mónica; Garcia-Aymerich, Judith; Torrent-Pallicer, Jaume; Forns, Joan; Ibarluzea, Jesús; Lertxundi, Nerea; González, Llúcia; Valera-Gran, Desirée; Torrent, Maties; Dadvand, Payam; Vrijheid, Martine; Sunyer, Jordi

2017-09-01

To evaluate the role of extracurricular physical activity and sedentary behavior at preschool and primary school age on working memory at primary school age and adolescence, respectively. This prospective study was based on a birth cohort across 4 Spanish regions. In the 3 younger subcohorts (n = 1093), parents reported lifestyle habits of child at age 4 years of age on a questionnaire, and children performed a computerized working memory task at 7 years of age. In the older subcohort (n = 307), the questionnaire was completed at 6 years of age and working memory was tested at 14 years of age. Adjusted regression models were developed to investigate the associations between lifestyle habits and working memory. Low extracurricular physical activity levels at 4 years of age were associated with a nonsignificant 0.95% (95% CI -2.81 to 0.92) reduction of correct responses in the working memory task at age 7 years of age. Low extracurricular physical activity levels at 6 years of age were associated with a 4.22% (95% CI -8.05 to -0.39) reduction of correct responses at age 14 years. Television watching was not associated with working memory. Other sedentary behaviors at 6 year of age were associated with a 5.07% (95% CI -9.68 to -0.46) reduction of correct responses in boys at 14 years of age. Low extracurricular physical activity levels at preschool and primary school ages were associated with poorer working memory performance at primary school age and adolescence, respectively. High sedentary behavior levels at primary school age were related negatively to working memory in adolescent boys. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Job Resources, Physician Work Engagement, and Patient Care Experience in an Academic Medical Setting.

PubMed

Scheepers, Renée A; Lases, Lenny S S; Arah, Onyebuchi A; Heineman, Maas Jan; Lombarts, Kiki M J M H

2017-10-01

Physician work engagement is associated with better work performance and fewer medical errors; however, whether work-engaged physicians perform better from the patient perspective is unknown. Although availability of job resources (autonomy, colleague support, participation in decision making, opportunities for learning) bolster work engagement, this relationship is understudied among physicians. This study investigated associations of physician work engagement with patient care experience and job resources in an academic setting. The authors collected patient care experience evaluations, using nine validated items from the Dutch Consumer Quality index in two academic hospitals (April 2014 to April 2015). Physicians reported job resources and work engagement using, respectively, the validated Questionnaire on Experience and Evaluation of Work and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. The authors conducted multivariate adjusted mixed linear model and linear regression analyses. Of the 9,802 eligible patients and 238 eligible physicians, respectively, 4,573 (47%) and 185 (78%) participated. Physician work engagement was not associated with patient care experience (B = 0.01; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.02 to 0.03; P = .669). However, learning opportunities (B = 0.28; 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.52; P = .019) and autonomy (B = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.10 to 0.51; P = .004) were positively associated with work engagement. Higher physician work engagement did not translate into better patient care experience. Patient experience may benefit from physicians who deliver stable quality under varying levels of work engagement. From the physicians' perspective, autonomy and learning opportunities could safeguard their work engagement.

The relationship among work-family conflict and enhancement, organizational work-family culture, and work outcomes for older working women.

PubMed

Gordon, Judith R; Whelan-Berry, Karen S; Hamilton, Elizabeth A

2007-10-01

This article examines the relationship among work-family conflict and enhancement, organizational work-family culture, and four work outcomes for 489 working women over the age of 50. Survey results from two U.S. health care organizations and one U.S. financial services organization indicate that older working women experience differing amounts of work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict, work-to-family enhancement, and family-to-work enhancement. Hypotheses relating organizational work-family culture to work-family conflict and enhancement were partially supported, and hypotheses relating conflict and enhancement to four work outcomes were partially supported. Work-to-family conflict and work-to-family enhancement partially mediate the relationship between organizational work-family culture and selected work outcomes. Implications for theory and practice, limitations of this study, and directions for future research are also presented.

Work Experience Program Teacher Resource Manual. Junior and Senior High School. Interim Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gullekson, Dale

This manual has been prepared to help educators in Alberta, Canada, organize and operate a work experience program that provides meaningful learning experiences for junior and senior high school students in partnership with the community. The manual: (1) outlines the expectations of the work experience program, including benefits to students,…

Bearing the brunt: co-workers' experiences of work reintegration processes.

PubMed

Dunstan, Debra A; MacEachen, Ellen

2013-03-01

Work disability research has found co-worker support to be a significant but under-recognised aspect of work reintegration (WR) processes. Although co-workers work alongside returning workers, their practical contribution to WR success or failure is often invisible to others. This study aimed to gain further insight into the role and contribution of co-workers in WR interventions. An exploratory qualitative pilot study was conducted in Toronto, Canada in 2011. Three focus groups were conducted with 13 co-workers, recruited for their direct experience of 'working alongside' a returning worker. An iterative data gathering and analysis process occurred. Themes were generated from categories in open-ended interview questions and new issues arising from the data. The findings detail co-workers' practical experiences of WR processes and their reflections on social and work conditions that impacted their participation. Co-workers' capacity to support returning workers was related to the quality of the WR arrangements, the relationship with the returning worker, work culture, and the duration of the required support. Workplace privacy and confidentiality requirements were identified as a key challenge for co-worker participation. The effects on co-workers of WR processes ranged from the opportunity to learn new skills to disillusionment and withdrawal from the workplace. In worst case scenarios, 'ripple effects' including emotional distress, physical injury and termination of co-workers' employment had occurred. Co-workers are not a neutral party in WR procedures. Formalizing the co-worker role to include communication, consideration and recognition might improve co-workers' WR experiences.

Job satisfaction, work environment and successful ageing: Determinants of delaying retirement among acute care nurses.

PubMed

Wargo-Sugleris, Michele; Robbins, Wendie; Lane, Christianne Joy; Phillips, Linda R

2018-04-01

To determine the relationships between job satisfaction, work environment and successful ageing and how these factors relate to Registered Nurses' intent to retire. Although little studied, retention of older nurses by delaying early retirement, before age 65, is an important topic for research. Qualitative and quantitative studies have indicated that job satisfaction work environment and successful ageing are key motivators in acute care Registered Nurses retention and/or delaying retirement. This study was designed to provide information to administrators and policy makers about retaining older, experienced RNs longer and more productively. This was a correlational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. An online survey of acute care Registered Nurses (N = 2,789) aged 40 years or older working in Florida was conducted from September - October 2013. Participants completed items related to job satisfaction, work environment, successful ageing and individual characteristics. Hypotheses derived from the modified Ellenbecker's Job Retention Model were tested using regression analysis. Job satisfaction scores were high. Highest satisfaction was with scheduling issues and co-workers; lowest with advancement opportunities. Successful ageing scores were also high with 81% reporting excellent or good health. Work environment explained 55% of the variance in job satisfaction. Years to retirement were significantly associated with successful ageing (p < .001), age (p < .001) and income (p < .010). This study provides quantitative evidence that environment and successful ageing are important areas that have an impact on job satisfaction and delay of retirement in older nurses and further studies in these areas are warranted to expand on this knowledge. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The neural correlates of age effects on verbal-spatial binding in working memory.

PubMed

Meier, Timothy B; Nair, Veena A; Meyerand, Mary E; Birn, Rasmus M; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2014-06-01

In this study, we investigated the neural correlates of age-related differences in the binding of verbal and spatial information utilizing event-related working memory tasks. Twenty-one right handed younger adults and twenty-one right handed older adults performed two versions of a dual task of verbal and spatial working memory. In the unbound dual task version letters and locations were presented simultaneously in separate locations, while in the bound dual task version each letter was paired with a specific location. In order to identify binding-specific differences, mixed-effects ANOVAs were run with the interaction of age and task as the effect of interest. Although older adults performed worse in the bound task than younger adults, there was no significant interaction between task and age on working memory performance. However, interactions of age and task were observed in brain activity analyses. Older adults did not display the greater unbound than bound task activity that younger adults did at the encoding phase in bilateral inferior parietal lobule, right putamen, and globus pallidus as well as at the maintenance phase in the cerebellum. We conclude that the binding of letters and locations in working memory is not as efficient in older adults as it is in younger adults, possibly due to the decline of cognitive control processes that are specific to working memory binding. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Farm Work-Related Injuries and Risk Factors in South Korean Agriculture.

PubMed

Kim, Hyocher; Räsänen, Kimmo; Chae, Hyeseon; Kim, Kyungsu; Kim, Kyungran; Lee, Kyungsuk

2016-01-01

Agriculture is known to be a risk-filled industry in South Korea, as it is worldwide. The aims of this study were to identify the magnitude of farm work-related injuries and evaluate the association between injury and possible risk factors. Farmers, including farm members (N = 16,160), were surveyed. After excluding 7 subjects with missing data in questions about injury, 16,153 farmer responses were used for the analysis. Of the 16,153 farmers, 3.6% answered having at least one farm work-related injury requiring outpatient treatment or hospitalization during 2012. The proportion of injured men (4.3%) was 1.5 times higher than women (2.9%). From an age perspective, the proportion was 1.3% of those aged 49 or below, 2.7% of those aged 50-59, 4.2% of those aged 60-69, 4.2% of those aged 70-79, and 3.1% of those aged 80 or above. We used a multivariate logistic regression analysis with a stepwise model (forward) for risk factors (gender, age, farm ownership, farm type, work years in agriculture, work months during 2012, night work experience, and work experience under the influence of alcohol). The increased risk of farm work-related injuries significantly remained associated with age, farm ownership, and experience of night work. Further studies should be conducted to consistently identify injury characteristics, especially for old farmers, considering the crop cultivation in Asian countries.

Childhood Parasomnias and Psychotic Experiences at Age 12 Years in a United Kingdom Birth Cohort

PubMed Central

Fisher, Helen L.; Lereya, Suzet Tanya; Thompson, Andrew; Lewis, Glyn; Zammit, Stanley; Wolke, Dieter

2014-01-01

Study Objectives: To examine associations between specific parasomnias and psychotic experiences in childhood. Design: Birth cohort study. Information on the presence of frequent nightmares in children was obtained prospectively from mothers during multiple assessments conducted when children were aged between 2.5 and 9 y. Children were interviewed at age 12 y about nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking, and psychotic experiences (delusions, hallucinations, and thought interference) occurring in the previous 6 mo. Setting: Assessments were completed in participants' homes or a University clinic within the UK. Patients or Participants: There were 6,796 children (3,462 girls, 50.9%) who completed the psychotic experiences interview. Measurements and Results: Children who were reported by their mothers as experiencing frequent nightmares between 2.5 and 9 y of age were more likely to report psychotic experiences at age 12 y, regardless of sex, family adversity, emotional or behavioral problems, IQ and potential neurological problems (odds ratio (OR) = 1.16, [95% confidence intervals (CI) = 1.00, 1.35], P = 0.049). Children reporting any of the parasomnias at age 12 y also had higher rates of concurrent psychotic experiences than those without such sleeping problems, when adjusting for all confounders (OR = 3.62 [95% CI = 2.57, 5.11], P < 0.001). Difficulty getting to sleep and night waking were not found to be associated with psychotic experiences at age 12 y when controlling for confounders. Conclusion: Nightmares and night terrors, but not other sleeping problems, in childhood were associated with psychotic experiences at age 12 years. These findings tentatively suggest that arousal and rapid eye movement forms of sleep disorder might be early indicators of susceptibility to psychotic experiences. Citation: Fisher HL; Lereya ST; Thompson A; Lewis G; Zammit S; Wolke D. Childhood parasomnias and psychotic experiences at age 12 years in a United Kingdom birth cohort

Combining Education and Work; Experiences in Asia and Oceania: Thailand.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministry of Education, Bangkok (Thailand).

Reflected in priorities of secondary vocational training, agricultural education, and nonformal short courses, Thailand's education policy of "productive work experience" helps solve the problems of those who have an incomplete general education, have negative work attitudes and habits, are untrained dropouts, or are vocationally trained…

Aging and Work Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schrank, Harris T.; Waring, Joan M.

Business firms are an integral part of the age stratification structure of society. Although the age structures of people and roles within the organization are dynamic, these structures yield a fairly stable strata in which norms exist to suggest the various roles expected of certain persons. Those in roles with greater financial rewards, power,…

Transition Program: The Challenges Faced by Special Needs Students in Gaining Work Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alias, Aliza

2014-01-01

Transition program for special needs students is known to open opportunities for students with learning disabilities to gain work experience in actual work environment. The program provides training activities and also an opportunity to go for internship to gain work experience. Therefore, this study is to identify the challenges faced by special…