Evaluation of the labor potential of elderly people with disabilities is an actual problem in the system of complex rehabilitation of this contingent in connection with the peculiarities of using the labor potential of elderly people, requiring a specific approach.

In recent years, the state policy of Russia in the system of social protection of disabled people focuses on active measures of employment of disabled people.¹ But there are many problems with older persons with disabilities: there is no vacancy Bank for older persons with disabilities, reflecting the needs of the labor market in the labor potential of citizens of retirement age with a disability group; the professional qualification structure of the labor market is focused on persons of able-bodied age or on persons over able-bodied age, but not having restrictions of ability to work² there are no normative and legal acts regulating involvement of disabled elderly people in labor activity. The purpose of this work was to study the state of labor potential of the elderly disabled.

A study was conducted using the method of questioning the vocational status of 200 elderly disabled people living in St. Petersburg who were at the stage of medical and social rehabilitation. The following characteristics have been assessed: age; floor; social belonging; the level of education; profession; group disability; degree of limitation of labor potential; social and labor activity. The article also used the main provisions of the orders of the Government of Russia and the federal law «On the Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities in the Russian Federation».

It is determined that the complex of internal and external factors influenced the labor activity of elderly disabled people. The internal factors are related such as age, health status, work; to the external factors include: education, vocational education level, occupation, presence of disability, presence of conditions for continued employment.

Studies of gender characteristics associated with gradations in old age showed the following: among disabled persons aged 60-64, men accounted for 70.8 percent and women 29.2 percent, aged 65-69 years for 69.1 per cent and 30.9 per cent, respectively, aged 70-74 for 51.0 per cent and 49.0 per cent. The group of persons with disabilities aged 75 and over was represented mainly by women 79.3% (compared to 20.7% of men), which is explained by the higher life expectancy of women compared to men.

Disabled persons of retirement age living in St. Petersburg, was a fairly well-educated cohort of the population. Secondary vocational education had 48.6 per cent, higher education 38.4 per cent, secondary General education 10.3 per cent, and lower secondary education only 2.7 per cent of persons with disabilities of that age group.

Analysis of employment showed that at the time of initial evaluation in the Bureau of medico-social examination to establish disability at age 60-64 years continued to work to 33.6%, 65-69 years was 25.2%, 70-74 years-10.3% and at the age of 75 years and older worked 6,5% of the citizens of retirement age. 45,5% worked in the profession, planned to continue the activity on the same workplace and in the profession of 35,5%, to replace the enterprise (organization) and working conditions of 29,2%.

The study of the need for vocational rehabilitation measures for the disabled of group III (the "lightest" group) showed that the most significant for their implementation are measures for vocational guidance and employment assistance, they needed all the disabled of group III (100%), in the correction of employment needed a fifth of the examined (21.0%). The most appropriate form of training for the acquisition of a new profession for such persons with disabilities was short-term courses in vocational retraining centers for unemployed persons through the employment service or directly in the workplace, including in enterprises and organizations in the form of individual training or in small groups. For persons with disabilities previously engaged in intellectual work, it was recommended to reduce the amount of work or training in the previous professional activity.

Among the disabled people of the II ("severe") group, the need for vocational rehabilitation was also quite high and amounted to 87.4%. At the same time, almost half of the number of people in the second group (48.0 per cent) were in need of adaptation measures, the production and the equipment (equipment) special workplace for compensation of disturbed functions and constraints in the labour market.

Of the disabled persons in group I, 7.7 per cent could continue to perform basic work with considerable assistance from other persons at home, taking into account the age and nature of the disease.

According to the level of safety of labor potential of elderly disabled people, it was possible to divide into two groups: the first group included elderly people who continued working after the establishment of disability. The sectoral structure of employment of this subgroup has a distinct shift towards intellectual spheres of activity and services. Persons with disabilities in old age worked in the field of highly skilled labor, as they had higher education (54.3% of people). Preservation of employment of pensioners in these areas has the bases as work (unlike work on transport, in construction, in the industry) does not involve high risks of loss of professional ability, does not show the raised requirements to a state of physical health, gives the chance to work with decrease in volume of work (disabled people of the III group) or in "specially created conditions" (disabled people of the II group), including in the special equipment of the working meta.

The second group included potentially active (hard-directed) elderly disabled people who could continue working, but need certain measures of social support. In this regard, there is a need to prepare special jobs for the elderly disabled, including not only sanitary and hygienic requirements, but also compliance of specially created conditions with the professional characteristics of an elderly person with disabilities. These activities will enhance the effectiveness of accessible environments and social inclusion for older persons.

Thus, a study of the labour potential of older persons with disabilities showed that many of them have safe labour resources and high labour potential. In a country requires a system of organization of social and labor structures (institutions) in the rehabilitation for the effective social adaptation and increase the life expectancy of the population of persons with disabilities.

None.

Author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

1. On social protection of disabled persons in the Russian Federation. 1995.
2. On the strategy of actions in interests of citizens of advanced age. The government of the Russian Federation; 2016. 164 p.