Age discrimination
Dementia in the workplace and at home
Employers and families need to be more aware
A major television campaign has been launched to help individuals become more aware at spotting the early signs of dementia in family members.
With over 820,000 people living with dementia in the United Kingdom, dementia and its related illnesses are increasing year on year and the cost both personal and financial is massive.
As someone who works in the area of age discrimination I think it is important that employers also become increasingly aware of the early signs of dementia. There is a myth out there that these are illnesses and conditions which only affect an older generation – this is not true many younger adults experience dementia. That said it is important that those organisations with an older workforce have managers skilled at looking out for early signs. This is perhaps increasingly the case now that we have seen the end of the statutory retirement age
The BBC website reported that experts believe the festive period is a time when many people realise family members may have a memory problem.
The government advert tells the story of a man in the early stages of dementia, and his daughter, who feels she is losing her father. It highlights the importance of contacting the GP if you have symptoms like memory loss, confusion and anxiety.
“People are afraid of dementia,” said care services minister Paul Burstow.
“Rather than face the possibility someone we love has the condition, we can wrongly put memory problems down to ‘senior moments’,” he said.
“Don’t wait until a crisis. Being diagnosed with dementia won’t make the condition worse, but leaving it untreated will.”
The Alzheimer Society has recommended some early warning signs for families and friends:
• Struggling to remember recent events
• Problems following conversations
• Forgetting the names of friends or objects
• Repeating yourself
• Problems with thinking or reasoning
• Confusion in familiar places
“Getting a timely diagnosis is vital,” said Professor Alistair Burns, the national clinical director for dementia.
“Knowing about their condition helps people gain control, and allows them and their families to seek the support and services they need.”
We need as friends, employers and families to get over the fear and start supporting people who may be at risk of dementia.
Source: BBC
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Dr Donald Macaskill
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Comment
C.G.Lee
November 11, 2011 at 9:26 amBoth my mother and my mother-in-law had dementia at the same time. We had young children at the time and it was a living nightmare.