PRESENTATIONS

"Issues and Trends in Older Worker Productivity"

This session will provide information on current trends and best practices in maintaining, extending, extending, and even improving physical productivity among older workers. Dr. Fletcher will discuss specific actions employers can take as well as what workers can do to enhance their longevity on contributions in the workplace.

Dr. David Fletcher is a renowned occupational medicine specialist and with board certifications in preventive medicine, public health, and substance abuse. After receiving his M.D. from Rush Medical College in Chicago, IL in 1979, he went on to UC-Berkeley's School of Public Health to receive his MPH in 1982. Over the years, Dr. Fletcher has taught as the Director of Section of Occupational and Preventive Medicine and Clinical Assistant Professor of the Department of Surgery at Southern Illinois University and the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He currently serves as Medical Director of SafeWorks Illinois, and provides litigation support services to legal counsel as an experienced litigation consultant, highly noted in his field.

"Are You Ready for an Aging Workforce?"

What are the biggest questions regarding older workers?

• What are the best ways to plan ahead for the significant change in the labor market?
• How can employers improve multigenerational relationships and create a harmonious workplace?
• What retirement benefits can be addressed to recruit or retain employees?
• What are the retirement and post-retirement plans of employees?
• What is the best way to discuss retirement plans with older employees?
• How can employers support employees who are family caregivers?

This presentation answers these questions and others from the standpoint of four distinct foci:

• Job satisfaction
• Retirement planning
• Intergenerational workforce dynamics
• Caregiving needs

Dawn Lehman

Dawn Lehman, an organizational anthropologist, has conducted extensive research among employees at small, medium and large companies, including General Motors, Pharmacia Corporation, and the United States Air Force. Her research has focused on the impact of culture on the implementation of new technology; organizational change; employee training; intergenerational communications; cultural competency; and customer service. She has presented papers at a National Institute on Aging Meeting, National Council on Aging/American Society on Aging Conferences, Gerontological Society of America Conferences and the American Anthropological Association Meetings, and has been given numerous awards for her work in the private and nonprofit sectors.

Jon Woodall

Jon Woodall is a Ph.D. candidate at Capella University in the Education program with a focus in Instructional Design for Online Learning. He earned his M.Ed. in Instructional Technology from American Intercontinental University in 2004 and his B.S. in Management from DePaul University, Chicago, in 2001. Prior to his current role as the Online Programs Manager at Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging, he earned international experience working as an Instructional Designer in Germany. His academic interest involves eLearning and mobile learning for Gerontology professionals, case-based reasoning models and ColdFusion 8 development. At Mather LifeWays, he splits his time, as the Online Programs Manager, between the maintenance and further development/enhancement of the online environment and communicating the online programs to interested aging professionals and/or their organizations. Most recently, he has presented at Woodland Retirement & Associated Living Community (Lacey, WA) and Alexian Village (Milwaukee, WI) on caregiver self-care and memory loss with aging.

"Aging Workforce: Ergonomic Risk Factors and Solutions"

Tracy Stendardo [4/25 - needed]

Tracy Stendardo has 10 years of experience in Safety, Health, and Transportation. She is currently the Heartland Safety Manager for Frito-Lay in Chicago, IL. Tracy's current responsibilities include strategic direction for workers compensation and auto liability claims, employee health and transportation safety, along with managing training, compliance, and fleet operations.

Prior to joining Frito-Lay Tracy worked at Exel Logistics for seven years where she held leadership positions in the health, safety, and transportation field. While there she spearheaded the creation of a defensive driving program, and implementation of an on-line claims management and investigation database.

Tracy holds a Bachelors of Science in Occupational Health and Safety Management from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, WI.

"Older Workers Benefit Protection Act and Public Policy"

In 1990, Congress passed the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) amended the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) to safeguard older workers' employee benefits from age discrimination. This session will discuss the practical implications of the OWBPA, for example, the requirement for employers to pay the same amount for each benefit provided to an older worker as is paid for a younger worker, and the provision for the increased costs of providing certain benefits, such as life insurance, to older workers.

Professor Michael LeRoy holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois. He also holds an M.A. in Labor and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Professor LeRoy has published extensively on strikes and lockouts, voluntary and mandatory arbitration, employee involvement teams, and more recently on employment and labor law. Professor LeRoy has testified before the full U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources; consulted at the request of the President's Council of Economic Advisers in connection with the Taft-Hartley labor dispute involving Pacific Maritime Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union; and served as an advisor to the President's Commission on the United States Postal Service. His research has been cited as authority by two federal appeals courts and the Minnesota Supreme Court. Recent research publications appear in Northwestern University Law Review, UCLA Law Review, Southern California Law Review, Emory Law Journal, and Stanford Law & Policy Review.

"The Most Common Physical Problems of Older Workers and How to Reduce Them"

Included in this session will be environmental modifications especially for older workers, and ergonomics to prevent injury and support the return to work process. Dr. Jones will have her Physical Therapist, who specializes in this area, as well as her Certified Ergonomist, who is one of my specialists in the Work Injury Network Program, join her in this presentation to demonstrate and highlight some of these aspects during their time with the conference audience.

Dr. Jones, MD, MS ACOEM, ACPM, MRO, joined Carle Clinic Association in 2004 with specialties in physiology and neuropsychology. She holds a certification as a Medical Review Officer and is a member of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Her medical interests include national/international Olympic anti-doping efforts, sports injury and recovery, public policy, and orthopaedic and neurosurgery research.

"Employee/Caregiver Supports"

What can employers do to facilitate the needs of their employees who need to care for older family members outside of work? How can employers provide for these needs with minimal interference of work? What can employees do to juggle their family needs while meeting the obligations of their jobs?

Melissa Cronin is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the State of Illinois and is a Nationally Certified Rehabilitation Counselor with specialized training in Geriatric Care. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work.

Amy Wingo is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a Master's Degree in Rehabilitation and a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology.

Both Amy and Melissa have extensive experience in service coordination and counseling for individuals across the lifespan and specialize in issues related to disability and vocation.

"Maintaining Cognitive Skills in the Workplace"

• Participants will learn characteristics of normal aging
.
• Those attending will learn the different between dementia and normal aging.
• Techniques for maintaining memory will be discussed.
• Participants will learn how to apply those techniques in the workplace.

Dr. Beverly Matthews is the owner and clinician at Central Illinois Neuropsychological Services in Decatur, Illinois. She practices from a neuropsychological perspective incorporating the brain behavior relationship into each individual she evaluates and treats. Her background is in Rehabilitation Psychology having worked both inpatient and outpatient services. She is a graduate of Adler School of Professional psychology with a doctorate in Clinical psychology and a Certificate in Clinical Neuropsychology. She received training at Saint Clare's Hospital in Alton, IL, S outhern Illinois University School of Medicine in the Memory and Aging Clinic, Bromenn Regional Medical Center, in Normal, IL, Christian County Counseling Center and Lincolnland Community College. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She enjoys reading, antiques, musicals and traveling to see her grandchildren

Central Illinois Neuropsychological Services provides qualified, professional guidance to all individuals in an ethical and respectful manner so that those individual can make a positive change in their lives by better understanding themselves. Dr. Beverly Matthews is dedicated to provide the proper treatment to her patients to help them live a long healthy life.

"Intergenerational Dynamics"

The workshop focuses on intergenerational dynamics in the workplace. We discuss the impact of Baby Boomers staying in the workforce longer than their predecessors, explore generational similarities and differences in the workplace, and present the Aging in the Workplace survey, a new tool to measure different aspects of intergenerational attitudes and relationships in the workplace. Attendees would benefit from this session by improving their understanding of the issues that may arise when co-workers of different generations work together within a given workplace.

Scott King, MA, is a Ph.D. candidate at Loyola University Chicago in the Applied Social Psychology program, where he also earned an M.A. in 2003. He earned his B.A. in Psychology and German at Beloit College in 2000. He has taught undergraduate courses in psychology at Loyola and DePaul University, and currently is a Senior Research Associate at the Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging in Evanston, Illinois. His academic interests involve the measurement of prejudice and stereotypes, including ageism, and in developing ways to counteract prejudice through applications of social psychological theories. At Mather LifeWays, he splits his time between serving as the Associate Managing Editor of the Seniors Housing & Care Journal and evaluating internal and external grants and programs, primarily through survey research. A paper he wrote based on the 360° Aging in the Workplace project won the 2009 "Best Graduate Student Research" award from the American Society on Aging.

Richard Shank, MA, Richard Shank has an M.A. from Rutgers University in sociology. He earned his B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. He has taught undergraduate sociology courses at Rutgers University and the Franklin College of Indiana and is currently a Senior Research Associate at the Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging in Evanston, Illinois. At Mather LifeWays, he serves as the editor of the monthly newsletter Aging in Action and evaluates Mather LifeWays programs through observational and survey research. He is co-developer of the Institute's 360 Aging in the Workplace study which focuses on employee satisfaction, intergenerational communications, retirement planning, and caregiving responsibilities. He has presented papers on this study at numerous conferences, including the National Council on Aging/American Society on Aging Conference and the Gerontological Society of America Conferences.