Factors Affecting Work Capacity

1
Factors Affecting Work Capacity

• Maintaining Functional Performance Safety as We
  Age

2
CHANGES RELATED TO AGING
3
Vision

• Aging reduces the light entering the eye by
  clouding the optics and by
• shrinking the pupil
• A 60 year old perceives only 1/3 as much light as
  a younger person, and has about half the contrast
  sensitivity

4
Hearing

• people exhibit hearing loss of high frequency
  sounds gradually until
• age 60, and more rapidly following
• hearing is impaired by background noise
• speech understanding is diminished

5
Motor Function

• strength diminishes with age
• depending on the muscle group, there is a decline
  in muscle strength
• of 10-25 at age 65 in both sexes
• muscle bulk is decreased with increasing age,
  although it is not clear if this is caused by
  aging per se

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Motor Function

• muscular endurance is decreased
• ability to recover balance with slips and near
  falls is significantly
• impaired
• balance issues
• decreased flexibility

7
Motor Function

• muscles fatigue more readily and recover more
  slowly
• this lowered fatigue threshold in
  combination with reduced recovery may induce
  chronic overload of muscles and tendons in
  older workers

8
Cardio-Respiratory

• 50 decline in ventricular filling between the
  ages of 20 and 80 the heart holds less blood
• decrease in maximum achievable heart rate

9
Cardio-Respiratory

• declines in aerobic capacity begin at age 40, but
  do not normally result in impaired work
  performance
• 7-10 decline per decade beginning at age 20-25
• 60-70 reduction by age 65

10
Cognitive Competence

• Myth-decline in cognitive performance with
  increasing age
• Fact-greater individual variability in cognitive
  ability
• decline in mental speedgtdecline in mental power

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Cognitive Competence

• greatest decline complex novel tasks requiring
  rapid decision
• making, particularly with distraction
• increased time to encode new information
• once encoded, just as quickly and easily
  retrieved by older
• workers as by younger

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Cognitive Competence

• overall changes in learning and memory in older
  workers are small
• more closely related to motivational level,
  attention, perception, health status, and
  learning context than to age itself

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FITNESS AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS
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Benefits

• decreased blood pressure
• increased insulin responsiveness
• decreased risk of cancers (breast and colon)
• decreased risk of injury
• decreased work absence for work related injuries
  and non-work related injuries and illnesses

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Benefits

• weight management
• increased strength
• increased endurance
• increased flexibility
• increased balance

16
Benefits

• increased sense of well being
• increased productivity
• increased problem solving ability
• improved self image

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Principles

• full engagement requires drawing on four separate
  but related dimensions of energy
• physical
• emotional
• mental
• spiritual

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Principles

• because energy capacity diminishes both with
  over-use and under-use, we must balance energy
  expenditure with intermittent energy renewal

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Principles

• we need to develop actionable daily rituals to
  assist us in making
• behavior changes and to stick to it
• after about 3-6 weeks of repetition, these
  rituals become habits, and like brushing your
  teeth, become hard to break

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Principles

• Energy Management Strategies
• go to bed early and wake up early
• go to sleep and wake up consistently at the same
  time
• eat 5-6 meals per day eat every 3 hours
• 3 meals
• 2-3 snacks

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Principles

• Energy Management Strategies
• eat breakfast every day it is the most important
  meal
• eat a balanced and healthy diet
• minimize simple sugars choose low glycemic index
  carbohydrates when ever possible
• drink 48-64 ounces of water daily

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Principles

• Energy Management Strategies
• take breaks every 90 minutes during work
• get some physical activity daily
• do at least 3 cardiovascular interval workouts
  and 2 strength training workouts a week, with
  stretching before and after each workout

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EXERCISE
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Exercise

• Exercise is any movement that challenges the body
• you must challenge the body in order to achieve
  growth and make progress
• exercise in the discomfort zone, not the pain
  zone

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Exercise

• oscillation between periods of full engagement
  (exercise) and full disengagement (recovery or
  rest) is the key to achieving the quest for peak
  performance
• works hand-in-hand with diet

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Exercise

• Helpful hints
• choose activities you have enjoyed in the past
• should be done on a regular basis
• dont over do it
• include exercise time in your daily itinerary

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Exercise

• Helpful hints
• exercise with a personal trainer, friends,
  family, or co-workers
• exercise in the early morning when possible
• decreases schedule conflicts
• allows time to shower after

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Exercise

• Helpful hints
• vary the content of your program
• consider team or individual sports competitions
  to help keep yourself motivated and committed

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Types of Exercise

• Flexibility
• types
• static stretching
• range of motion activities
• the most important way to maintain range of
  motion, reduce soreness, and prevent injury
• should be done both before and after workouts
  focusing on the muscle groups just worked

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Types of Exercise

• Flexibility
• stretch to the point of mild discomfort
• exhale while stretching
• hold for 20-30 seconds
• release slowly
• 2-5 repetitions of each stretch

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Types of Exercise

• Aerobic
• types
• Walking/running
• bicycling
• stair climbing
• jumping jacks/jumping rope
• swimming
• interval training

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Types of Exercise

• Aerobic
• frequency 3-6 days per week, 20-60 minutes per
  session
• exercise at 70-90 of your maximum heart rate or
  13-16 on an exertion scale

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Types of Exercise

• Aerobic
• using a heart rate monitor helps assure you stay
  within your safe and effective target heart rate
  range
• mix up your exercise activities
• use a variety of machines
• cross-train
• participate in a variety of vigorous sports

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Types of Exercise

• Aerobic
• Age Predicted Maximum Heart Rate
• 220 age
• Example 220-53167
• Target heart rate for aerobic training
• Between 70-90 of age predicted MHR
• 167x70117
• 167x90150
• Exertion Scale and Talk Test

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Types of Exercise
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Types of Exercise

• Interval Training
• requires use of a heart rate monitor
• target heart rate 70-80 of maximum heart rate
  for beginners, 80-90 for advanced fit
  individuals
• allows for more efficient cardiovascular
  conditioning than continuous exercise

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Types of Exercise

• Interval Training
• burns up to 50 more calories!
• Concept
• begin with a 3-5 minute warm up
• exercise at 80-90 of your maximum heart rate
• repeat 5 cycles
• end with a 5 minute cool-down

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Types of Exercise

• Resistance Training
• uses control to lift slowly (2 seconds) and
  release even more slowly (4 seconds) through full
  range of motion while isolating muscle groups
• Types
• Weight machines
• Free weights
• Circuit training

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Types of Exercise

• Resistance Training
• weight machines
• require minimal balance, skill, and
  co-ordination
• must be set for each individual user
• generally safer, and quicker
• can be performed without a partner
• 8-12 reps per set
• move from larger muscles to smaller muscles

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Types of Exercise

• Resistance Training
• free weights
• requires balance, skill, and co-ordination
• uses more muscle mass
• less convenient
• requires a partner
• 8-12 reps per set
• move from larger muscles to smaller muscles

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Types of Exercise

• Resistance Training
• circuit training
• includes a warm-up, lifting, and cool-down
• moves you through exercises in the proper order
• can achieve aerobic conditioning too, if you stay
  within your targeted training zone

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BODY MECHANICS
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Body Mechanics

• Basic Ergonomic Principles
• increased force
• increased repetition
• poor posture
• no rest
• increased potential for problems

44
Body Mechanics

• Be Aware of And Avoid
• Elbow winging out from the trunk
• can potentially aggravate nerves and tendons in
  the arms and should be avoided
• Repetitive bent wrist postures
• bent wrist postures at moderate frequencies can
  lead to possible problems (ie-wash rag)

45
Body Mechanics

• Be Aware of And Avoid
• Awkward shoulder positions
• matching work height to the employee is
  important. When the shoulder is up high to
  perform a task, the work is too high for comfort.
  Likewise, when the shoulder is positioned down
  toward the floor, the work is too low and
  adjustments need to be made.

46
Body Mechanics

• Be Aware of And Avoid
• Extended reaching
• keep objects within a comfortable reach.
• extended reaching will result in more force being
  required to lift the object.
• this also often causes one to bend the back in
  order to reach the object.
• keep objects within the power zone whenever
  possible.

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Body Mechanics

• Be Aware of And Avoid
• Trunk twisting
• remember to move your feet as you transfer
  objects using a neutral spine position. Keeping
  the feet planted often causes trunk twisting and
  increases risk of injury.

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Body Mechanics

• Be Aware of And Avoid
• Back bending
• keep work within the power zone whenever
  possible.
• maintain neutral spine posture with lifting and
  pushing/pulling tasks.

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NUTRITION
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Nutrition

• Maintain a healthy body weight
• avoid eating when you are distracted or in
  response to triggers other than hunger
• avoid eating junk food
• avoid fast food restaurants that feature foods of
  low nutrient value
• avoid eating high fat red meats
• avoid eating high fat food

51
Nutrition

• Maintain a healthy body weight
• eat one or more servings of high bulk/high fiber
  foods daily
• eat 3 or more servings of multi-colored
  vegetables daily
• eat 3 or more servings of multi-colored fresh
  fruits daily
• eat 3 or more servings of fish or fish oil
  supplements each week

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Nutrition

• Maintain a healthy body weight
• eat 5 servings daily of calcium rich foods
• add olive oil or canola oil to your diet as
  cooking oils, salad dressings, etc
• add a multi-vitamin and a mineral supplement or
  fortified breakfast cereal to your daily diet

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Nutrition

• Portions
• difficult to measure
• a practical solution the rule of hand
• use the size and thickness of the palm of your
  hand as the basic unit of measurement for protein
• use small handfuls as the basic unit of
  measurement for grains, fruits, and vegetables

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Nutrition

• Meals
• 3 a day, plus 2 snacks
• eat within one hour of arising
• should consist of 40 grains, 40 fruits and
  vegetables, and 20 proteins

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Nutrition

• snacks
• should consist of 100-150 calories
• should consist of low glycemic index
  foods(glycemic index reflects the rate glucose
  becomes available through metabolism)
• low glycemic foods last about 2 hours, moderate
  about 1 hour, and high about ½ hour.

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Nutrition

• snacks
• fiber and protein decrease the glycemic index of
  the food combination, assuring necessary calories
  for about the next 2 hours
• check labels for caloric content and serving size
  to make sure you eat the right amount

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Nutrition
Glycemic Index
58
Nutrition
59
Nutrition
Snacks
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EXPECTATIONS
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Expectations

• reduced sleep requirements
• improved cognition, focus, and concentration
• improved immune function
• fewer colds
• improved psychological hardiness
• less emotional reactivity
• faster problem solving

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Expectations

• decreased risk of chronic illnesses
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• heart disease
• vascular disease
• Stroke
• independent of obesity

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Expectations

• decreased cancer risk-especially colon and breast
  cancer
• longer life-up to 50 longer
• increased muscular strength
• decreased risk of injury
• sprain/strain
• fall risk

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Expectations

• improved work productivity
• greater happiness
• improved appearance
• more muscle
• less fat
• weight management
• reduced obese body mass

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Expectations

• dramatically reduces risk of depression and
  anxiety
• has therapeutic effects similar to medications
  used to treat anxiety and depression
• increases clearance of triglycerides by
  exercising muscle
• lowers LDL through decrease in obesity
• increases HDL through increased liver production

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• Its not just about decreasing the frequency
  and impact of preventable illness and injury

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• Its not just about maintaining current
  productivity and performance

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• Its about improved
• performance, productivity,
• satisfaction, and
• happiness!

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References

• Robertson A, Tracy, C S. Health and productivity
  of older workers. Scand J Work Environ Health
  19982485-97.
• Green, M. Environmental Design for the Older
  Worker. Occupational Health and Safety.
  Stevenspublishing.com.
• Healy, M. Management Strategies for an Aging Work
  Force. AAOHN Journal 200149523-529.
• Rix, S. Health and Safety Issues in an Aging
  Workforce. AARP Public Policy Institute 20011-16.

70
References

• de Zwart, B. et al. Physical Workload and the
  Ageing Worker a review of the literature. Int
  Arch Occup Environ Health 1995681-12.
• Buckley, BM. Healthy Ageing Ageing Safely. Europ
  Heart J Suppl 2001 3(Suppl N)N6-N10.
• Ohio BWC statistics per Dr. Gregory Jewell,
  Medical Director
• Humantech, Inc. 1989, 1995

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Resources

• AARP Guide to Internet Resources Related to
  Aging aarp.org/cyber/general
• American Society on Aging asaging.org/ASA_Home_ne
  w5.cfm.
• National Aging Information Center
  aoa.dhhs.gov/naic/notes/internationalstats.
• National Institute on Aging nih.gov/nia.
• Age Discrimination Employment Act (ADEA)
  eeoc.gov/laws/adea

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Resources

• National Council on Aging ncoa.org
• National Council of Senior Citizens
  ncscinc.org/issues/senjobs
• Maturity Works maturityworks.org
• Greenthumb greenthumb.org
• Employment of Older Workers exsis.org/portal/Owor
  kers