Malloch, Margaret (2011) Policy, research and practice: supporting longer careers for baby-boomers. In: Working and Ageing : Guidance and Counselling for Mature Learners. Cedefop, Luxembourg, Europe, pp. 145-165.

Abstract

The baby-boomer generation is identified variously, referring to the generation born after the Second World War, and generally encompasses those born between the years 1946 to 1964 (Jorgensen, 2003; Lancaster and Stillman, 2002). The boomers are reaching retirement age and the population bulge they present is now a challenge for individual workers, businesses, enterprises and policy-makers internationally. Particularly in a time of international financial difficulties, ability of the nation State to support an ageing population is stressed. Concerns abound about having a sufficiently skilled workforce, coping with the imbalance of having too few taxpayers, and too high health and social care demands on the State. Older workers can experience difficulties in remaining in employment, moving into new roles and participating in learning. Attention is therefore turning, albeit slowly, given the rapidly greying population, to a consideration how best to cope with this. To support longer working lives, ageing workers need guidance and counselling, the focus of this publication. It is argued in this chapter that focus on the individual worker, while important, is merely one aspect of the situation. It is businesses, enterprises, local authorities, and national and international policy-makers who need seriously to address the issues, create relevant policies and implement them.

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