title: Ageing, cognitive disorders and professional practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  the workforce is ageing. The contribution of older workers is considerable. Their occupational health profiles differ from those of younger workers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  we wished to establish whether consideration has been given by regulatory and professional bodies of the impact of ageing-related conditions such as dementia on professional practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  We e-mailed a questionnaire to 22 regulatory and professional bodies in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. We asked whether there are supports for their practitioners should they develop age-related diseases, (particularly cognitive disorders),whether the body considered that the practitioner was responsible for their own health, and whether the body has resources to arrange for medical review for their professionals if concerns arose regarding competence. Where bodies did not respond, information relating to the questions was extracted from their on-line resources.
  
  
  RESULTS
  thirteen bodies responded. None of these had specific supports to assist older workers. Some knew of other supports (occupational health, employee assistance supports, benevolent funds or counselling services). All of the bodies who responded either have or are developing structures to deal with concerns regarding their practitioners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The absence of specific policies for age-related diseases, (particularly dementia), among professional and regulatory bodies is a challenge for an ageing workforce in the liberal professions. Closer working between geriatric medicine, old age psychiatry, occupational health and professional bodies is recommended to develop age-attuned policies and systems which protect the public while supporting the professionals in both work and timely transition from work.
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health Department, Tallaght Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland. deirdrefitzgerald@physicians.ie
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: FitzGerald
authors.forename: Ruth-Anne
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Keane
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Desmond
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Neill
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000458:organization & administration; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008016:Life Change Events; D016272:Occupational Health; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D011364:Professional Practice; D016730:Program Development; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; dementia; occupational health; older people; professional practice; professional regulation