Slides Index
Slides 1-15
Slides 16-31
| Group | Accessible Documents (OCR) | Reading Guides / Aids | Braille Display | None Provided |
| Age 18-54 | 10% | 14% | 7% | 12% |
| Age 55-64 | 7% | 7% | 4% | 17% |
| 65 or Older | 0% | 0% | 0% | 50% |
Typical Accommodations: Reading aids, electronic media, scanner, magnifier, enlarged print, Braille, CCTV, anti-glare devices, new display, more light, assistant provided, redesign job
Percent respondents within age group that have this functional limitation:
Types of Difficulties:
| Groups | Hearing Aids | Communicate via Written Information |
Communicate with Devices |
Sign Language | None Provided |
| Age 18-54 | 29% |
17% | 14% | 12% |
21% |
| Age 55-64 | 39% | 19% | 15% | 6% | 12% |
| 65 or Older | 39% | 14% | 14% | 0% | 17% |
Typical Accommodations: hearing aid, written communication, communication device, sign language, ear protection, redesign job, provide assistant
Types of Difficulties:
| Groups | Checklists | Reminder Devices | Timers | None Provided |
| Age 18-54 | 25% | 22% | 7% | 32% |
| Age 55-64 | 26% | 10% | 10% | 42% |
| 65 or Older | 25% | 12% | 12% | 50% |
Typical Accommodations: checklists, reminder devices, timers, job coach, assistant provided, redesign job
Types of Difficulties:
| Groups | Modify Workstation | Ergonomic Chairs | Steps or Lifts | None Provided |
| Age 18-54 | 31% | 17% | 13% | 39% |
| Age 55-64 | 29% | 20% | 11% | 40% |
| 65 or Older | 14% | 29% | 14% | 43% |
Percent respondents within age group that have this functional limitation:
Types of Difficulties:
| Groups | Buddy System |
Assistant |
Equipment Modifications | Gripping Aids | Carts |
| Age 18-54 | 14% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 6% |
| Age 55-64 | 21% | 11% | 5% |
4% | 14% |
| 65 or Older | 7% | 14% | 7% | 7% | 21% |
Typical Accommodations: equipment modifications, gripping aids, cart, custom devices, clamping devices, leverage aids, lifts, hoists, measuring tools, buddy system, assistant, job redesign
Percent respondents within age group that have this functional limitation:
| Groups | Accessible Transportation | Accessible Parking |
Modification to Restroom | Flexible Schedule | Ramps |
| Age 18-54 | 15% | 10% | 11% | 8% | 9% |
| Age 55-64 | 13% | 10% | 9% | 13% | 6% |
| 65 or Older | 11% | 14% | 7% | 2% | 11% |
Typical Accommodations:
| Number (%) Respondents Reporting Difficulty* | Number (%) of Accommodations Made* | |
| Vision Tasks | 141 (27.6%) | 348 (20.3%) |
| Hearing Tasks | 170 (33.3%) | 330 (19.3%) |
| Attention Tasks | 71 (13.9%) | 112 (6.5%) |
| Repositioning | 106 (20.8%) | 113 (6.6%) |
| Manipulating Objects | 121 (23.7%) | 220 (12.8%) |
| Moving Around |
167 (32.7%) | 591 (34.4%) |
| Total | 776 | 1714 (99.9%) |
* Multiple response categories
Speaker Notes:
Although much data is available on employment and disability, the data does not go past the age of 65. Older adults are not present in any employment data and we do not know anything about the characteristics of these workers. We do not know how many are employed, have accommodations, or need accommodations. We do not know the types of disabilities they have and the difficulties they encounter on the job.
Because they is little to know information available addressing their workplace needs, they may end up leaving the workforce not because they want to retire, but because they are not aware of the accommodations they could use to remain employed. With luck, they may use accommodations, but since we have no data on what accommodations are appropriate for this population, they may not be appropriate for the job.
In addition, older adults make up the largest portion of people with disabilities in America. Therefore, they probably have lower employment stats than the rest of the workforce.
These factors indicate that a better understanding of workplace accommodations for older adults in necessary.
www.workrerc.org
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