The "art of Aging" from an ergonomics viewpoint - Wisdoms on age

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The paper is a printed version of keynotes and plenary addresses which have been presented during international ergonomics conferences to which the author had been invited. It focuses on human work performance influenced by an advanced age. Aging of the workforce, productivity, or work and health, today must be regarded as important research topics for ergonomics and for realizing age-differentiated work design. OBJECTIVE: A scientific survey of the various human performance potentials impacted by age. METHODS: A comprehensive literature review of scientific papers dealing with age-dependent work performance was carried out. The results were garnished with suitable aphorisms, sentences and wisdoms on age which stem from wise old men and prominent philosophers and poets. RESULTS: The results comprise physical age-related performance potentials, e.g., muscle strength and assembly performance. Also the impact of age on vision and on the hearing is described in detail and it is visualized in figures and tables. Furthermore, important age-dependent changes in the central nervous system and in mental-cognitive performance areas are reported. Fortunately, also positive issues of aging on the working performance could be detected. The paper ends with a meditative discourse about length and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Age-differentiated work design has to be based on specific knowledge about age-dependent performance potentials of the employees. A comprehensive literature review revealed a lot of already existing and sustainable facts which can be applied in work design. However, further fundamental and especially applied research is necessary since today substantial changes in the working conditions occur very quickly.