Kaarin J Anstey

Population aging trends have created a need for effective policies to extend adult working lives. Previous research has identified the prevalence of negative attitudes (age-related stereotypes, prejudice, and discriminatory behaviors) directed toward older workers in the workplace context. The current scoping review aimed to describe and assess the current evidence in support of different types of interventions aimed at promoting positive attitudes and reducing age-based discrimination in the workplace context. A search of peer-reviewed and grey literature databases identified 22 relevant studies, including data from 5,078 adult participants, across laboratory and field settings. From examination of these studies, we propose and describe four thematic categories of interventions, as a way of organizing this literature: “de-biasing interventions,” “brief attitudinal interventions,” “age diversity workshop interventions,” and “structural or contextual interventions.” At the current point in time, studies assessing age diversity workshop interventions appear to be the strongest, having a clear theoretical basis, having a focus on interventions that can be delivered in workplace settings, and providing evidence for positive effects on measures that are meaningful for organizations and older workers. While a number of promising interventions have been tested, most studies were only able to demonstrate improvements in explicit measurements of attitudes toward older adults, immediately following the intervention. Collaborative partnerships with organizations and further high-quality studies (particularly in field settings) are required to support the development, evaluation, and implementation of interventions to promote positive attitudes toward older adults in real-world workplace settings.

Background and Objectives The shift to consumer-directed aged care means that older adults need to play a more active role in navigating the complex aged care system for adequate health and social services. Challenges in the navigation process result in unmet needs and difficulty accessing available resources. This scoping review investigates how aged care navigation is conceptualized in literature and interrogates research on the experiences of older adults navigating community-based aged care services with or without support from their informal carers. Research Design and Methods This review follows the Joanna Briggs Institute methodological guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest were searched for relevant literature published from 2008 to 2021, supplemented by grey literature and manual reference list searching. Data were extracted using a predefined data-extraction table and synthesized with an inductive thematic analysis. Results The current conceptualization of aged care navigation focuses on the support provided to older adults, rather than actions taken by older adults themselves. Thematic analysis from the included studies (n = 26) revealed shared themes (lack of knowledge, social networks as information providers, complex care systems) among older adults and informal carers; unique challenges faced by older adults (difficulties with technology, waiting game), and informal carers (structural burden) in aged care navigation. Discussion and Implications Findings suggest the need to comprehensively assess individual circumstances including social networks and access to informal carers as predictors of successful navigation. Changes that reduce the complexity of the aged care system and improve coordination will relieve the structural burden experienced by consumers.