The older nursing carer as an employee with potential!? A qualitative research on employability and work performance among older nursing carers working in the elderly care sector

Abstract

Population ageing is considered to be a ticking time bomb for the welfare state’s security systems. To accurately respond to the expected shortages on the ageing labour market, it is argued that older workers should remain employable as long as possible. This applies in particular to the healthcare sector which not only deals with an ageing nursing work force, but faces an increasing demand for healthcare services as well. In this Master thesis, a research is presented which focuses on the relationship between employability and work performance among older nursing carers working in the elderly care sector. It is studied what explains how the older nursing carer can remain employable, well-performing and of value to the elderly care sector on the basis of the following question: To what extent do individual, work-related and organisational aspects of employability explain how older nursing carers working in the elderly care sector can remain employable and well-performing until retirement age? With the use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods, it was found that the older nursing carers are generally healthy, employable, motivated and well-performing. They are likely to be of value to elderly care organisations as they carry a lot of knowledge and experience, which has enhanced their performance over the years. Employability aspects that seem to explain the work performance of the older nursing carers are associated with the ability, motivation and opportunity to work. To ensure that the older nursing carers can remain employable and well-performing until retirement age, we argue that elderly policy should aim to provide customized support for health issues and should ensure that the older nursing carers keep satisfied with their job.