title: Work ability, age and intention to leave aged care work.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the work ability of mature age women workers in Australia's aged care sector, and to explore the relationship between ageing, work ability and intention to leave.
  
  
  METHODS
  Logistic regression techniques were applied to a sample of 2721 responses to a survey of mature age women workers in the aged care sector.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mature age women working in the Australian aged care sector have relatively high levels of work ability by international standards. Furthermore, their work ability remains high in their 50s and 60s, in contrast to some prevailing stereotypes. However, work ability is a key determinant of intention to leave in key occupational groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings challenge some prevailing stereotypes about the work ability of mature age workers. However, they lend support for the development of retention strategies, which incorporate programs that target low work ability.
authors.affiliation: School of Economics and Finance, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Siobhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Austen
authors.affiliation: Curtin Graduate School of Business, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jefferson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Ageing, Curtin University, Silver Chain, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Gill
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lewin
authors.affiliation: School of Economics and Finance, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: Hawke Research Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharp
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000523:psychology; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006699:Home Care Services; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology; D009735:Nursing Homes; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014931:Women, Working / Q000523:psychology*; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: intention to leave; quantitative method; work ability