[Work capacity, severe disability and needs for disability services in Thüringen with respect to demographic change]

Considerable changes are taking place in germany in respect of age groups (fewer youngsters, more old people), and this is bound to be reflected by the demography of the working population (15 to 64 years) during the next 50 years. It is shown in this contribution how the expected changes in age distribution in Thuringia will probably be reflected by the number of pensioners who are incapable of gainful employment or of exercising their original job for which they were trained. The proportion of younger persons who had to be pensioned because of inability to work or major disablement or severe need of nursing care, will decrease until 2040 A.D., these persons being in most cases about 10 years younger than the usual pensioning age. This entails a great need for medical, social and job rehabilitation in tremendous measure: a major challenge both in sociomedical and labour market policy respects.