Continuing work and volunteer roles after a dementia diagnosis
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Zibiah Loakthar, our Cuimhne Coordinator writes:
Employers have responsibilities to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people can continue to make a meaningful contribution in the workplace. Dementia is a disability; employees living with dementia have employment rights too. Simple adaptions in the workplace environment may help people living with dementia to continue in their roles for longer if they so wish.
All of us can be involved in helping dissolve social taboos about dementia simply by opening up conversations about dementia in our communities. This itself may help dispel some of the anxieties people might have about talking to their employers about their dementia diagnosis. There are various organisations and charities offering advice, guidance and training to support employers to understand and fulfil their responsibilities under Employment and Equality Law.
None of us should have to work at the expense of our health or feel pressurised to work where we do not feel well enough to do so. At the same time, people who wish to continue to work after a diagnosis such as dementia should not feel obliged to step down. They should have the chance to discuss reasonable adjustments that could be made with their workplace to enable them to continue for longer.
Feeling pushed out, or obliged to step out, of a job because of health issues can lead to further health issues such as depression. Giving up work does not simply mean just giving up an income but can also mean giving up a well–loved vocation, a valued role and a social group. Good work may have a positive impact on physical and mental health and wellbeing and unemployment may be detrimental in some cases to a person’s health.
Currently, the government is seeking the views of charities and businesses, employees, the self–employed and employers on Measures to Reduce Health Related Job Loss. You can take part in the survey here
The consultation closes on 7 October 2019.
Our charity sector is powered by volunteers, as well as paid staff! Charities can adopt good practice in make reasonable adjustments to volunteering roles too to ensure that people diagnosed with dementia can continue to be involved and included as volunteers in supporting the charity’s work.
Irish in Britain groups interested to talk through ideas about simple adjustments that might be made in order to be able to continue to involve people living with dementia as volunteers are welcome to get in touch with us: champions@irishinbritain.org