Healthy Aging Conference Aims to Help Key Sectors
A conference taking place next month at the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Md., will explore a key topic for this decade and beyond: how important sectors of the U.S. economy can keep older workers healthy and productive. Accomplishing this goal will prevent critical labor shortages, temper rapidly rising health costs, and improve the quality of life for those workers and their dependents.
"Health Aging for Workers: Anticipating the Occupational Safety and Health Needs of an Increasingly Aging Workforce" will take place Feb. 17-18. Sponsors are NIOSH, the Center for Construction Research and Training, the Society of Occupational and Environmental Health, AARP, the University of Maryland, and the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics. Breakout sessions will be devoted to older workers in construction, health care, manufacturing, and transportation.
Presenters scheduled or invited to speak at the event include David Wegman of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, NIOSH Acting Director Christine Branche, AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department President Mark Ayers, Michael Silverstein of the University of Washington, Dr. John Phillips of the National Institute on Aging, Robert Anderson of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, research scientist Peter Hoonakker of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for Quality & Productivity Improvement, and Scott Madar and Ann Brockhaus of ORC Worldwide, according to the draft agenda.