Report Details Dementia in Workplace

The Alzheimer’s Association recently released a white paper offering guidance to U.S. companies. The association, which (besides the U.S. and Chinese governments) invests more in research against Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia than any other entity globally, wants employers to recognize what they say is a growing issue.

“Employers just aren’t prepared,” says Anna Chafen. “And I think especially with the population aging, it’s going to be the hidden issue we can no longer ignore.”

Age is the greatest risk factor for the disease, and the increasing number of workers at age 65 and older – the greatest at-risk group – combined with the increasing number of early-onset dementia cases, currently at least three million globally, are becoming a more pressing issue in the U.S. workforce.

“We’re talking about a significant portion of the workforce who either has early diagnosis or is over age 65 but maybe can’t afford financially to retire,” says Chafen. “Most want to continue to live their lives with dignity, however that looks. It is a disease, and I think that is a big misconception – a lot of people think ‘Oh, this is a natural part of aging’ – and it’s not. It actually is a disease.”

While those affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, stigma in the workplace – often the first-place signs of the disease become obvious – can discourage them from getting a diagnosis.

“They’re first noticing the problem, but that’s the place where they’re feeling the least supported, or the least able to discuss it. So that’s why we have to change this landscape, this conversation, so that we’re having our employers lead with compassion to create dementia-friendly workplaces,” says Chafen. “Some quick things that we’d love to see any employer or any business do to be more dementia-friendly: They can act by training their HR personnel on the warning signs, training on basic disability law, understanding through the Americans with Disabilities Act, encouraging their employees to seek a diagnosis, not avoid it, and to manage their health.”

Often, retirement is actually not the best option.

“There’s so much research out about combating the disease by staying busy.” says Chafen,. “Complacency is a death sentence. You want to stay alert, you want to continue to thrive in community, you want to have resources available to you that stimulate your brain.”

But diagnosis allows employers and employees to manage the disease and form a plan, whether that involves working from home, conversations with family members and physicians, or a long-term plan for a dignified exit.

“We’d like to be able to see our populations that are affected continue their lifestyle for as long as they want to and is possible,” says Chafen. “Again, probably with modifications as the disease accelerates.”

The working population who are or will be themselves diagnosed with the disease is only half of the story. The other half is their caregivers, family members who often work 35 hours a week, while trying to care for a parent with the disease.

“Six in 10 caregivers were employed in the past year … 57 percent of employed caregivers had to go into work late, leave early, or take time off due to those demands,” says Chafen. “One quarter of caregivers right now are in ‘the sandwich generation,’ meaning they’re caring for an aging parent, but they also have children in the home – again disproportionately affecting women more than men.”

Debbie Levin, who is now on the board of the Alzheimer’s Association, has experienced this issue first hand.

“Both of my parents had Alzheimer’s disease at the same time. It was during a time when I had small children. They were in Orlando, I was here in Atlanta,” Levin said. “It’s completely overwhelming, because on the one hand you’ve got small children, and on the other hand – again, I was dealing with both of my parents at the same time.”

“It was extremely overwhelming, and I was younger then, so none of my friends were going through this. Now, it’s interesting, because a lot of my friends, unfortunately their parents are now of the age that they’re having to deal with this, and I’m able to help them.”

“Seven million people in the United States have the disease, and 11 million are unpaid caregivers. So again, it’s affecting more people caring for these individuals than the ones who have the disease,” says Chafen. “You can’t destigmatize it if you don’t talk about it. We really want employers to lean into this creating-dementia-friendly-workplaces conversation.”

10 Signs of Dementia

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure
4. Confusion with time or place
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgement
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
10. Changes in mood or personality