WASHINGTON -- As workers get older, their priorities change, and according to AARP, smart companies anticipate those changes.

In compiling its list of the best employers for workers over 50, the senior citizens lobby looked at things such as opportunities for training; alternative work options, such as flexible scheduling; job sharing, and phased retirement.

Using those and other criteria, AARP selected Mercy Health System of Janesville, Wis., as the nation's top employer for workers over 50.

The not-for-profit organization also offers things such as weekend-only work, work-at-home opportunities, "seasonal work" programs that let staffers go on leave for extended periods while maintaining benefit eligibility.

"These dynamic employers recognize the importance of creating a mutually beneficial work environment," said AARP CEO Bill Novelli in a news release. "Flexible arrangements can be a big part of that positive environment, enabling workers to balance both work and family obligations."

Here is the top 10 list, according to AARP:

1. Mercy Health System of Janesville, Wis.
2. Lee Memorial Health System of Fort Myers, Fla.
3. Bon Secours Richmond Health System of Richmond, Va.
4. Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital in Leesburg, Fla.
5. Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Ct.
6. Volkswagen of America in Auburn Hills, Mich.
7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass.
8. Oakwood Healthcare System, Inc. in Dearborn, Mich.
9. First Horizon National Corporation in Memphis, Tenn.
10. Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. in Nutley, N.J.

Nine of the top 10 Best Employers -- including Mercy Health System -- are former winners.