How Technology Responds to an Aging Workforce

Aging Workers, New Technology

The number of workers over 65 is growing fast. Technologists see a big business in helping the aging workforce.

George Anders | September 28, 2015

The American tradition of retirement at age 65 is crumbling. As older workers stay on the job longer, challenges ranging from eyestrain to aching joints become increasingly prevalent. In response, technologists and ergonomics experts are rethinking working conditions.

This influx of workers aged 65 or older accompanies a shift in the type of work schedule most commonly used. Older workers are employed in full time, rather than part-time jobs. Source: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/healthyagingatwork/data.html

As recently as 1992, less than 3 percent of the American workforce consisted of people age 65 and over. Today that proportion has nearly doubled, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and it’s expected to reach 8.3 percent by 2022. Most of these 13.5 million older workers will be between 65 and 74, but nearly 2.6 million will be 75 and over.

<more at http://www.technologyreview.com/news/541541/aging-workers-new-technology/; related link: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/healthyagingatwork/data.html (Healthy Aging at Work. Data and Stastistics) and http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/computer_glasses.htm (Computer Glasses: 
Relieving Computer Eye Strain)>