An older worker's decision to "push or protect self" following a work-related injury

This study highlights the return-to-work experience of older workers on worker's compensation as there is a dearth of research in this area.

Qualitative research methods delineated the experience of four older workers who had sustained work-related musculoskeletal injuries.

"Push or Protect Self" emerged as the core category with three themes, including the level of employer support and degree of flexibility in work; continued health problems; and financial distress. These themes influenced each worker's decision to either "push self" to meet their pre-injury work demands, or "protect self" and accept a job post-injury that was less physically demanding, but was at a lower pay level. The four workers sustained financial difficulties subsequent to being off work, and reported continued health problems related to their injuries after being discharged from the worker's compensation system.

Degree of employer support in providing flexibility in work demands varied, where low support and inflexibility in job tasks contributed to difficulty in returning to work or in sustaining the work demands of the job.