Older workers bring with them many advantageous qualities: Stability, excellent teamwork skills, good judgment born of experience, and company loyalty, to name a few. So why is long-term unemployment among older workers a major national concern?

According to an article by New York Times, about 45 percent of job seekers age 55 and older were job-hunting for 27 or more weeks without work in 2015. Experts point to competition for fewer jobs, age bias and a pool of cheaper, younger job-seekers as part of the trouble. Also, the weakened economy, improved health in older generations and an interest in staying active professionally has prompted Boomers to hold off on retirement.

All of this means that senior workers face a unique set of challenges when it comes to staying, getting back in, and proving their worth in the business world. But the Boomer generation is innovative and resilient, and they’re finding ways to navigate inter-generational workplaces. And companies have many opportunities to reap the benefits of the values these older workers bring – if only they’re savvy enough to hire them, and adaptable enough to care for these worker’s needs.

Join us this week on Portland Radio Project between 1-2 p.m. for our Biz503 episode “Care for Older Workers.” Co-hosts Cindy Tortorici of The Link and Rebecca Webb of PRP will lead a discussion about how increasing longevity is affecting workplaces and businesses. They’ll cover what’s being done in workplaces to support inter-generational groups, how employers can best support elderly workers, and what kinds of support systems exists for Boomers.

Joining us this week are the following guests:

‎Joyce DeMonnin – Communications and Media Relations Director at ‎AARP Oregon

Anne Conrad-Antoville – CEO/Managing Member at Champion Advocates

Lee Girard – Deputy Director of the Multnomah County Aging, Disability and Veterans Services Division

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