About 46 per cent of New Zealanders aged 65-plus have mobility issues.

New Zealand businesses need to be better prepared for an ageing population, experts are warning.



Figures from Statistics NZ show about that just under a quarter of people aged 65 or over, about 168,000 people, are currently in the workforce. This is up from just 9 per cent in 1986 when about 30,000 people worked past 65 years.



Recent OECD data shows New Zealanders had the second highest rate of workers aged between 55 and 64 (78 per cent) at the end of June this year.



"It's pretty phenomenal for a small country like ours but we have to deal with that," Diversity Works NZ chief executive Bev Cassidy-Mackenzie says.

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Businesses need to have conversations with staff about them working later in life, she believes.

SUPPLIED Bev Cassidy-Mackenzie says technology will help businesses tackle some skills shortages with an aging workforce.

"We have a skills shortage that is putting a lot of the pressure on our aging workers so organisations are having to have a crucial and courageous conversation around having to keep them.

"Organisations aren't really geared to have that conversation and can be scared to have that conversation. Because they're not sure what the outcome will be and it can be quite confrontational."

The Salvation Army warned last week New Zealand was on the edge of an elder care crisis, with the industry needing at least 18,000 workers to cater for the ageing population.



In September 2017, there were 38,200 jobs in aged care residential services, up 62 per cent from 23,600 in 2009.



Business NZ chief executive Kirk Hope says an older workforce will make it harder to fill job positions requiring physical work.



"Building and construction, agricultural and farming, care occupations where physical services are provided such as nursing and aged care, and occupations in services such as retail, hospitality and tourism services," he says.

"It may be harder still where those businesses are located in the regions."

Currently, in two council districts, a quarter of the population is aged 65-plus. By 2033 there will be 48 such districts, meaning "there is likely to be an increasing need to gain skilled migrants", Hope says.

A higher number of older workers also means a higher proportion of the workforce with disabilities.

SUPPLIED Lower fertility rates and a large cohort of baby boomers mean New Zealand has the second highest proportion of 55 to 64-year-old workers.

The national disability survey, carried out every five to 10 years, shows mobility issues are the most common impairment for people aged over 65, followed by hearing.

University of Otago associate health professor Chrys​ Jaye​ says this could mean an escalated cost to businesses.

"There's also the burden of increasing long term chronic conditions and the management of that.

"There are issues with sick leave with older people who have a greater burden of health. The other thing is the obesity issue – the cohort of the aging workforce are not a fit generation.

"We have diabetes, we have arthritis, so people may need more sick leave."

Injury was already becoming a problem for the aged care and health care sectors, which have a majority of older women workers in the 55 to 79 age bracket, she said.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you have older women doing a lot of lifting in aged residential care and nurse care. Soft tissue injuries are the most prevalent form of injury in people who are older."

One thing Jaye doesn't want to happen is businesses devaluing older workers because of their health risks.

"They often have a lot of skill and experience and huge institutional knowledge so there's a place for them in work.

"We don't want to become ageist and that is a possibility. Will businesses chose not to hire older workers? That's going to be difficult when there are fewer younger people to hire."

Jaye says businesses need to come together and hold forums to talk about the "tsunami" of older New Zealanders that is about to hit.