TY - JOUR T1 - Ageing and employment: are patients ever too old to work? JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 6 LP - 7 DO - 10.3399/bjgp17X688441 VL - 67 IS - 654 AU - Paul J Nicholson AU - Grant V Mayho Y1 - 2017/01/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/67/654/6.abstract N2 - In the UK more over-50s are in employment than ever before; the employment rate of older people is increasing; and over 1.2 million people are working beyond age 65.1 Several factors contribute to this. The baby boomer generation is aged 50 to 70. Falling birth rates and increased lifespans require people to work longer to meet staffing needs and provide adequate retirement income as they live longer. The default retirement age was abolished in 2011, making it unlawful to retire someone compulsorily because of age, unless justified objectively. From 2020, the state pension age will be 66, increasing to 67 between 2026 and 2028, and linked to life expectancy thereafter.Although health is a determinant of how long people continue to work, there are emotional, personal, financial, and occupational factors. Work brings benefits including self-esteem, companionship, and income. Caring responsibilities, hobbies and interests, relationships in and outside of work, a partner’s employment status, and financial security all influence decisions to retire or to continue working. Occupational factors include the availability of work that satisfies personal needs, and the fit between job demands, working environment, individual circumstances, and capability.2 A new comprehensive report considers current evidence on the impact of age on ability to work, and examines perceptions, myths, and strategies that employers, doctors, and their ageing patients might utilise to maintain meaningful employment.3Many systems of the body demonstrate age-related changes. The special senses are affected by hearing loss (presbycusis), balance problems (presbystasis), and visual impairment (presbyopia). Presbyopia and presbycusis need not affect job performance and in most cases are overcome by hearing aids, corrective eyewear, … ER -