he labor market. For every 10 percent increase in the Social Security excempt income limit there is a 5 percent increased probability of retirees reentering the labor market. Despite a 220 percent increase in disposable income from 1960 to 1992, there are big disparities between standards of living for retirees and full-time workers. As retirees age, their chances of falling below the poverty line increase substantially. Older Americans also want more income to pay for leisure activities such as travel and hobbies.
             Perhaps the most striking reason why older Americans return to work or remain longer on the job, however, has been the shift from goods- to service-producing industries, in which work is typically less physically demanding.
             Despite these trends, American businesses continue to focus their training and recruitment dollars on a shrinking supply of younger workers. While the ratio of younger to older workers is now five to one, it will drop to two to one by the year 2030. In 1998, the Older Workers Survey, a report by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and AARP (formerly the American Association for Retired Persons), found that less than half of all businesses surveyed provide training to upgrade older workers' skills.
             Debunking myths about older workers One major reason businesses have not embraced the retention and employment of older workers stems from myths and stereotypes unsupported by documented studies. A 1999 report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) addressed some common myths about people over age 50: Older workers have poorer health than younger workers, decreased physical and mental capacity and less stamina. They have higher injury rates, lost time and higher insurance and medical costs. They are rigid and won't learn new skills. They aren't worth retraining.
             AARP noted that 89 percent of survey research among managers reports higher absenteeism rates for ...