Over the years, human cognitive functions and physical fitness weaken. This process takes place at different speed and strength in everyone, but it is inevitable. The challenge for the working environment is counteracting the negative effects of employee aging through the use of appropriately selected support systems. Considering the decreasing number of people of working age in relation to the elderly, finding solutions aimed at adapting workplaces to the changing functional abilities of people is extremely important from the point of view of extending their professional activity.

The aging of the society causes a decrease in the share of people of working age and an increase in the number of people over 65, which will affect the functioning of the labor market. It is necessary to maintain the psychophysical fitness of older workers, who constitute an increasing percentage of professionally active people. Engineers and decision-makers have to deal with demographic change and its impact on working conditions, especially for positions that require manual and mental skills.

The aging process of the human body causes many changes that affect the ability to perform professional work, especially physical work. The most important changes concern the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Skeletal muscles account for 30-40% of the body weight of young and healthy people, but muscle mass is lost with age. Reducing the cross-section of the muscles, reducing the thickness of type II fibers and reducing their mass, generated power and muscle contraction force, affects physical fitness, performance and endurance. Muscle strength increases during the first three decades of life, then stabilizes, and after the fifth decade of life begins to decline by about 15% per decade. After the age of 70, the decline in muscle strength is already 40%, and in the ninth decade of life even 50%. Therefore, it is important to know the details of these changes,

Daily physical activity and regular exercise are effective ways to fight the aging process, reduce the risk of chronic diseases and keep the musculoskeletal system fit. Exercise can improve functional capacity, reduce the risk of falls, and increase cardiorespiratory fitness. Resistance training is especially important for maintaining muscle mass and strength. Recommended physical activity programs include endurance, resistance, balance and flexibility training. A diet with the right amount of vitamins and micro- and macronutrients is also important. However, despite the benefits, few people exercise regularly, and this can accelerate the aging process.

For older people to remain professionally active for longer, it is important to maintain a balance between the demands of work and the capabilities of employees. The ideal work environment should take age-related limitations into account while leveraging the strengths of employees. Older workers often choose jobs where they can use their experience and knowledge. In the future, the use of new technologies, such as exoskeletons to enhance physical abilities or smart workplaces, can help employees overcome age-related limitations. Digitization and information technologies, such as order picking systems and robots, can also help to create a working environment that is friendly to older workers.

Source:https://www.seka.pl/pracowniki-65-plus-dalej-aktywni/

Supported by Norway through Norway Grants 2014-2021, in the frame of the Programme “Social Dialogue – Decent Work”.