What it means to be a dementia-inclusive employer

Being a dementia-inclusive employer means recognizing and taking action to support, include, and seek creative and unique ways to accommodate employees living with dementia and employees who are care partners to people living with dementia.

Becoming a dementia-inclusive employer starts by understanding that dementia is a progressive disease, which means it begins with mild symptoms that get worse over time. It is also a disease that impacts everyone differently. Depending on a person’s dementia symptoms, they may be able to hold down a satisfying job, drive, and lead an active, healthy lifestyle for some time. They may require minimal support and accommodations to maintain their daily routines and preferred activities or significant support and accommodations for daily living. This means that employees affected by dementia may want and choose to stay in a dementia-inclusive workplace for some time or may need and decide to exit the workplace. It also means that employees who provide care for people living with dementia may benefit from flexibility or changes to their role or may decide to exit the workforce.

A dementia-inclusive employer strives to help its employees understand the signs of dementia and the experiences of people living with dementia or caring for someone with dementia. It facilitates a respectful and supportive workplace culture, and, wherever reasonable, includes policies and accommodations to help people living with dementia or acting in the role of a care partner to continue to participate and be productive in the workplace.

By investing in a dementia-inclusive workplace, you can play an important role in the quality of life of employees affected by dementia and gain the many benefits of their participation in your workforce.