Participation of Older Persons With Mental Health Conditions and Psychosocial Disabilities in the Labor Market

Abstract

This paper discusses the right to work as a basic human right that should be granted unrelated to chronological age, health or mental health status and disability including declining cognitive functioning. The benefits of continued employment are both at the individual level and at the organizational and societal levels. Nonetheless, there are multiple barriers that prevent older people and particularly older people with mental conditions and psychosocial disabilities from remaining in the workforce and/or from rejoining the workforce. We outline interventions at the organizational, national, and international levels to ensure the full participation of people of all ages and abilities in the workforce. Such interventions should address the intersection between disabilities and advanced age at the global, regional, and country levels.

Keywords: Human rights; ageism; discrimination; employment.