Wellness Wellness and theand the

Aging Workforce Aging Workforce

A look at the risk, benefit and cost A look at the risk, benefit and cost of your aging employeesof your aging employees

By By Jim Briggs Jim Briggs

Advanced ErgonomicsAdvanced Ergonomics

WellnessWellness

• Wellness is a broad term that Wellness is a broad term that describes the panoply of health-describes the panoply of health-management services that management services that companies offer, from onsite companies offer, from onsite fitnessfitness centers and centers and smoking-cessation smoking-cessation classes to health-risk appraisals and classes to health-risk appraisals and disease-management programs. disease-management programs.

• Successful, corporate health Successful, corporate health promotion and disease prevention promotion and disease prevention programs must demonstrate that they programs must demonstrate that they can improve the risk profile of can improve the risk profile of employees as a whole, and, in employees as a whole, and, in particular, those employees at highest particular, those employees at highest risk. risk.

• (C)2002The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine(C)2002The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Successful Program Successful Program FeaturesFeatures

• Identifying, at the start, particular health-Identifying, at the start, particular health-care hot spots of the organizationcare hot spots of the organization– may relate to type of workmay relate to type of work– demographics of company demographics of company – analysis of insurance and disability claimsanalysis of insurance and disability claims

• Offering health-risk assessments Offering health-risk assessments – basic questions and medical measurementsbasic questions and medical measurements

Wellness Councils of Wellness Councils of AmericaAmerica

• According to the Wellness Councils of According to the Wellness Councils of America (America (welcoa.orgwelcoa.org), more than ), more than 81% of businesses with 50 or more 81% of businesses with 50 or more employees have some form of health employees have some form of health promotion program—the most promotion program—the most popular being exercise, stop-smoking popular being exercise, stop-smoking classes, back care programs, and classes, back care programs, and stress management. stress management.

Why should your company Why should your company offer worksite wellness offer worksite wellness programs?programs?

• Lower Health Care Costs Lower Health Care Costs • Reduced AbsenteeismReduced Absenteeism • Higher ProductivityHigher Productivity • Reduced Use Of Health Care BenefitsReduced Use Of Health Care Benefits • Reduced Worker's Comp/Disability Reduced Worker's Comp/Disability • Reduced InjuriesReduced Injuries • Increased Morale and LoyaltyIncreased Morale and Loyalty • Worksite Wellness Works !Worksite Wellness Works !

Reduced Health Care Reduced Health Care ClaimsClaims•

The average annual health care cost per The average annual health care cost per person in the United States far exceeds $3,000. person in the United States far exceeds $3,000. And preventable illness makes up And preventable illness makes up approximately 70% of the total costs of illness. approximately 70% of the total costs of illness. Because much of these costs are linked to Because much of these costs are linked to health habits, it is possible for employers to health habits, it is possible for employers to take aggressive action toward reducing health take aggressive action toward reducing health care utilization and containing costs by care utilization and containing costs by implementing a health promotion program implementing a health promotion program

Yearly Claims Costs of an Yearly Claims Costs of an Unhealthy EmployeeUnhealthy Employee

ObesityObesity

• In one study, published in the In one study, published in the September/October 2005 issue of the September/October 2005 issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, American Journal of Health Promotion, CDC and RTI researchers found that CDC and RTI researchers found that obesity boosts employers' costs, including obesity boosts employers' costs, including medical expenditures and absenteeism, medical expenditures and absenteeism, by $460 to $2,500 per obese employee by $460 to $2,500 per obese employee per year. They estimated that the cost of per year. They estimated that the cost of obesity at a firm with 1,000 employees is obesity at a firm with 1,000 employees is about $285,000 per year. about $285,000 per year.

Overall Return on Overall Return on InvestmentInvestment• Since 1980 there have been over 50 Since 1980 there have been over 50

studies of comprehensive worksite health studies of comprehensive worksite health promotion and disease prevention promotion and disease prevention programs. Every study has indicated programs. Every study has indicated positive health outcomes. And of the positive health outcomes. And of the more than 30 which were analyzed for more than 30 which were analyzed for cost outcomes, 29 proved to be cost cost outcomes, 29 proved to be cost effective. effective.

• IRSA, the Association of Quality Clubs –1992IRSA, the Association of Quality Clubs –1992

• Employee Benefit News, May 1997Employee Benefit News, May 1997

ROIROI

Who is at riskWho is at risk

• Data projections indicate that between 1998 Data projections indicate that between 1998 and 2008 the number of medical claims and 2008 the number of medical claims among construction workers who are 24 to 54 among construction workers who are 24 to 54 will rise about five per cent. In contrast, due to will rise about five per cent. In contrast, due to the aging of the workforce, the number of the aging of the workforce, the number of claims among those 55 or older will increase claims among those 55 or older will increase by 50 percent.by 50 percent.

• Also, the average duration of lost workdays for Also, the average duration of lost workdays for a worker 19 to 29 years old is 10.4 days. For a a worker 19 to 29 years old is 10.4 days. For a worker aged 50 to 59, it is 47.7 days.worker aged 50 to 59, it is 47.7 days.

THE AGING PROCESSTHE AGING PROCESS

• Natural process Natural process

• Changes in strength, size and Changes in strength, size and stamina stamina

• Onset of diabetes, coronary artery Onset of diabetes, coronary artery disease, cancer, etc.disease, cancer, etc.

MusculoskeletalMusculoskeletal Clinical ManifestationClinical Manifestation

PrimaryDecreased muscle fiber number and diameter Diminished bone mineral content Increased stiffness of tendons, connective

tissue Diminished joint cartilage

SecondarySedentary lifestyle (disuse atrophy) Osteoporosis

post-menopausal femalesdiet, alcohol, tobacco or drug-related

Osteomalacia    deficient diet and lack of sun exposure

Traumatic osteoarthritis

Workplace ImplicationsIncreased risk for injuries

     strains, sprains Increased risk for fractures

     increased healing time Decreased ability to do heavy work Decreased ability to do constant

repetitive work Decreased strength Increased vulnerability to fractures Joint stiffness and inflammation

Respiratory and Respiratory and CardiovascularCardiovascular  Clinical Manifestation Clinical Manifestation • Decreased lung or cardiac functionDecreased lung or cardiac function• PrimaryPrimary• Diminished lung elasticity Diminished lung elasticity • Increased resistance when blood leaves the heart Increased resistance when blood leaves the heart • Diminished response of the intrinsic factors in the heartDiminished response of the intrinsic factors in the heart• SecondarySecondary• Chronic obstructive lung diseaseChronic obstructive lung disease

     pollution, cigarette smoke      pollution, cigarette smoke • Diminished heart and lung capacity due to lack of exercise Diminished heart and lung capacity due to lack of exercise • Congestive heart failure Congestive heart failure • HypertensionHypertension• Workplace ImplicationsWorkplace Implications• Decreased ability to do heavy work Decreased ability to do heavy work • Decreased ability to work in certain environments Decreased ability to work in certain environments • Decreased ability for shift work changesDecreased ability for shift work changes

THE AGING WORKERTHE AGING WORKER

• By the year 2015  -  40% or 55 By the year 2015  -  40% or 55 million workers will be greater than million workers will be greater than age 60 age 60

• 30 % of the present workforce is 45 30 % of the present workforce is 45 years of age years of age

• Influx of older women into the Influx of older women into the workforceworkforce

Work Demands vs. AgeWork Demands vs. Age

– Reserves become insufficient for Reserves become insufficient for recovery before the next day’s recovery before the next day’s workwork

– Work demands do not change withWork demands do not change with ageage

Aerobic CapacityAerobic CapacityBy Age And GenderBy Age And Gender

Female - Mean

Female - Upper 95%

Male - Mean

Male - Upper 95%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65Age

Aer

ob

ic C

apac

ity

(Kca

l/m

in)

Ergonomic InterventionsErgonomic Interventions

•The cheapest and most effective The cheapest and most effective way to mitigate the potential way to mitigate the potential rising costs of an aging rising costs of an aging workforce – while continuing to workforce – while continuing to exact the benefits of its skills and exact the benefits of its skills and experience – is the adoption of experience – is the adoption of ergonomic interventions.ergonomic interventions.

Ergonomic Interventions Ergonomic Interventions (cont)(cont)

•Chief among these is staging which, Chief among these is staging which, in turn, is a matter of effective in turn, is a matter of effective planning. Staging involves the planning. Staging involves the storage and positioning of materials storage and positioning of materials and supplies, the location of work and supplies, the location of work areas, the nature of work stations areas, the nature of work stations and the availability of equipment for and the availability of equipment for moving materials.moving materials.

Aging is associated with progressive decreases in aerobic power, thermoregulation, reaction speed and acuity of the special senses.

These changes can reduce productivity, particularly in self-paced activities where the physical or mental input of the individual worker is the rate-limiting step in production.

Aging and ProductivityAging and Productivity

Many potential problems can be corrected by worksite modification, employee wellness programs and retraining.

Given wide inter-individual differences in the abilities of elderly employees, and the fallibility of most test methods, the setting of appropriate and non-discriminatory standards for recruitment and continued employment of older individuals remains a difficult challenge for the industrial Ergonomists.

Use only validated test for new hires, RTW and when testing relative to job demands.

ClosingClosing

Wellness and Health Wellness and Health PromotionPromotion

• Keep it simpleKeep it simple

• Start small and expand when Start small and expand when successfulsuccessful

Contact InformationContact Information

Jim Briggs OTR/LJim Briggs OTR/L

VP Business DevelopmentVP Business Development

Advanced Ergonomics Inc.Advanced Ergonomics Inc.

Cell 615-594-4070Cell 615-594-4070

Jim.Briggs@advancedergonomics.comJim.Briggs@advancedergonomics.com