Keeping the ability to work as you get older
Identifying Targets for Interventions to Improve Functional Ability to Work over the Life Course
['FUNDING_R01'] · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · NIH-11308252
This project finds out which thinking, physical, or social abilities most affect older adults' ability to keep working.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11308252 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you are an older worker, researchers will compare the demands of different jobs with people's thinking, physical, and social abilities using assessment methods adapted from the Netherlands. They will analyze large population data and individual measurements to see which specific ability losses most often lead to reduced work capacity. The team will identify which of those ability losses could be prevented or helped with low-cost or already-available supports. The aim is to point to clear targets for programs or treatments that could help more people stay in the workforce.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are older adults who are still working or hoping to return to work and who have concerns about thinking, physical, or psychosocial abilities affecting job performance.
Not a fit: People who are fully retired with no intention of returning to paid work are unlikely to benefit directly from the study's findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify specific abilities to target so more people can keep working and maintain productive, healthy aging.
How similar studies have performed: Methods from the Netherlands' disability determination system have been used before, but applying them to pinpoint targets for work-capacity interventions is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: MAESTAS, NICOLE A — HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
- Study coordinator: MAESTAS, NICOLE A
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.