HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN TIMES

OF A MULTIFACETED CRISIS

WG 3: CHALLENGES OF MEETING THE NEEDS

OF AN AGEING POPULATION

TCN Inaugural MeetingBudapest, 19.05.2009

TCN Inaugural Meeting: Human Resource Management in times of a multifaceted crisis WG3 Sanja Kaiser

Questions to answer

TCN Inaugural Meeting: Human Resource Management in times of a multifaceted crisis WG3 Sanja Kaiser

What is population ageing ?

What is the extent of the problem?

What are the specific needs of an ageing population?

What aspects are specific to transitional countries?

What are the aspects specific to HR management?

What is population ageing ?

TCN Inaugural Meeting: Human Resource Management in times of a multifaceted crisis WG3 Sanja Kaiser

Increase in median age of a population or an alteration in the age structure of a population, so that elderly persons are increasingly represented within a country’s overall age structure.

The sources of population ageing: rising life expectancy and declining fertility.

TCN Inaugural Meeting: Human Resource Management in times of a multifaceted crisis WG3 Sanja Kaiser

Health issues related to ageing

Older adults are more likely to suffer chronic illnesses (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases)

Older adults consume more primary care services, hospital services, nursing home services and home care services

Health professions, particularly those with long education (e.g. medicine), are also ageing and are at greater risk for depletion as the population ages.

Health care services and population ageing

TCN Inaugural Meeting: Human Resource Management in times of a multifaceted crisis WG3 Sanja Kaiser

Ageing of population = decrease in mobility, increase in dependence, injury, disability, chronic diseases, medication consumption…

Ageing and depletion of health workforceHealth care provision focus shift towards

prevention & long-term careHealth care accessibilityHealth care financing

What aspects are specific to transitional countries?

TCN Inaugural Meeting: Human Resource Management in times of a multifaceted crisis WG3 Sanja Kaiser

1. Faster population ageing processes

2. Devaluation of (personal) savings; erosion of social systems

3. Traditional family support structures are weakening

4. Access to health care for elderly may be difficult

5. Ageing and “brain drain” among health professionals

6. Health care systems in transition: financing: primary and specialist care; geriatric medicine

Ageing and health inequalities

What aspect of population ageing are specific to HR management

TCN Inaugural Meeting: Human Resource Management in times of a multifaceted crisis WG3 Sanja Kaiser

Challenges

TCN Inaugural Meeting: Human Resource Management in times of a multifaceted crisis WG3 Sanja Kaiser

Longer life spans: more healthy years or added years of illness and dependency?

“Prevention and postponement of disease and disability and maintenance of health, independence, and mobility in an aging population are the major health-related challenges of population aging.”

From red to gray; the "third transition" of aging populations in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union

Chawla, Mukesh et al. The World Bank, 2007

Solutions

Healthy ageing: prevention of chronic diseases, postponement of disability and dependency

Integrated care models, which include health and social care

Research: better understanding of ageing processes and age associated chronic diseases

Embracing new technologiesPlanning for the sufficient, well educated, diverse

and well distributed health workforcePlanning for high-quality, cost-effective, well

distributed health care

TCN Inaugural Meeting: Human Resource Management in times of a multifaceted crisis WG3 Sanja Kaiser

Recommendations Healthy Ageing project (2004-2007)

Increase the participation in the workforce Encourage the participation in social life Raise awareness of relevant mental issues, such as

depression and dementia Improve access to safe and stimulating indoor and outdoor

environments Promote healthy food and eating habits Increase the level of physical activity Initiate safety promotion and injury prevention programmes

(violence, medication, etc.) Promote smoking cessation and the reduction of harmful

alcohol consumption Make preventive health services accessible to older people

TCN Inaugural Meeting: Human Resource Management in times of a multifaceted crisis WG3 Sanja Kaiser

“L’hospice” by Gilles Barbier (2002)

TCN Inaugural Meeting: Human Resource Management in times of a multifaceted crisis WG3 Sanja Kaiser