The Working Environment as a Platform for the Promotion of Active Aging: An Italian Overview

Abstract

European data confirm a gradual and constant aging of the population. The reduction of risk factors for chronic diseases and the improvement of health care have increased life expectancy in general. In January 2018, Italy recorded a mean age of 45.2 years (two tenths more than 2017). "The 2018 Ageing Report", an economic paper of the European Community, predicts that the European Union would go from having 3.3 working-age people for every person aged over 65 years to only two working-age persons. If this happens, welfare systems would no longer be able to cope up with health and pensions. It is important to offer people the tools to get old better. The World Health Organization defines active aging as the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security to enhance quality of life as people age. The working environment is the perfect platform for the promotion of policies aimed at maintaining the psychophysical abilities of the elderly worker. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health recently proposed the Work Ability Model to understand and manage wellbeing in the workplace. This scheme suggests a multilevel action to guarantee the elderly worker an optimal stay in the workplace. An active aging promotion program and an adequate risk-assessment can reduce injury risk, increase productivity and health benefits for elderly workers.

Return to Work of Healthcare Workers after SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Determinants of Physical and Mental Health

“…In Italy, a survey by the National Institute for Insurance Against Workplace Injuries (INAIL), as early as 2014, [ 45 ] revealed a deterioration in the perception of individual health status directly related to age, with the share of workers declaring very good health status varying from 49% among the workers between 16 and 24 years of age to 14% among those aged between 55 and 64, with a close correspondence between age and the trend of accidents at work. An appropriate active-aging program could provide a motivational stimulation among older workers, resulting in an improvement in workers’ psychophysical wellbeing and consequent reductions in absenteeism, accidents, and limitations at work [ 46 , 47 ]. The offering of health screenings to monitor the health of workers and encourage healthy workplace habits and good practices and promote active living, healthy eating, stress management, and work-life balance initiatives is expected to play a role in maintaining the health and safety of aging workers [ 48 ].…”

Profession Loss Crisis at an Old Age: Specific Features, Factors, and Mechanisms of Coping

“…It means that more than half leave work before achieving retirement age. Mucci [37] emphasizes that this trend is destructive for European economies, and, therefore, it is necessary to extend the professional life of elderly people through active aging technologies. The working environment is an ideal platform for promoting active aging, for supporting the psychophysical abilities of employees and preserving their ability to work, and for developing cooperation between generations.…”

Process evaluation of a tailored workplace intervention designed to promote sustainable working in a rapidly changing world

“…The increasing age of the workforce presents opportunities and challenges for governments, employers and health professionals, but also for individual employees and their families. In a recent overview of European legislation and research concerning older workers, it was concluded that the working environment is an ideal platform to carry out initiatives to promote active and healthy ageing (Mucci et al 2019). It is now essential to facilitate sustainable working and extend working lives by promoting health in the workplace.…”