A first-time employee assistance program (EAP) study by Warren Shepell, a major Canadian EAP provider, says that older workers are facing higher levels of stress both on the job and at home.

According to The Aging Workforce: An EAP's Perspective, organizations need to reevaluate long-standing assumptions on the health and well-being of their older workers - one of Canada’s fastest growing workforces. “Contrary to contemporary data, which reports older employees have a greater resilience to stress than their younger counterparts,(the study) shows that older workers are more likely to report workplace stress issues, and that this trend is rising," says Rod Phillips, president and CEO of Warren Shepell.

The study suggests that one of the ways to reduce psychological distress among older employees is to make their work environments healthier. Flexible schedules, cultures that value their strengths, and practices that accommodate their sensory and perceptual changes, such as softer lighting and memory training, are just a few of the tools employers can provide.

"The challenge is to find a way to retain these employees before they decide to retire or move on to another company that can support their needs," Phillips added.

Overall, older workers take advantage of EAP and work-life services less than their younger counterparts-only 9.45% of all EAP accesses between 2001 and 2003-and, as a result, may be missing out on the preventative benefits of these services.