Career Development and Aging

Career development and aging represents a topic of growing importance for individuals as well as organizations. As society and the workforce is aging, late career employees embody a steadily growing proportion of the working population (Van der Heijden, Schalk, & Van Veldhoven, 2008). In order to create and maintain a successful and satisfying late career, this population has to successfully deal with today’s changing work environment and its demands. In this chapter, first a review traditional stage-based models of late career development is given. Then an overview of how the current work environment increasingly necessitates a protean career orientation and career adaptability among older workers is provided. The chapter concludes with implications for career counseling and HR practices regarding older workers

The role of environmental exposure to non-cigarette smoke in lung disease

Abstract Chronic exposure to household indoor smoke and outdoor air pollution is a major contributor to global morbidity and mortality. The majority of these deaths occur in low and middle‐income countries. Children, women, the elderly and people with underlying chronic conditions are most affected. In addition to reduced lung function, children exposed to biomass smoke have an increased risk of developing lower respiratory tract infections and asthma-related symptoms. In adults, chronic exposure to biomass smoke, ambient air pollution, and opportunistic exposure to fumes and dust are associated with an increased risk of developing chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and respiratory infections, including tuberculosis. Here, we review the evidence of prevalence of COPD in people exposed to non-cigarette smoke. We highlight mechanisms that are likely involved in biomass-smoke exposure-related COPD and other lung diseases. Finally, we summarize the potential preventive and therapeutic strategies for management of COPD induced by non-cigarette smoke exposure