Is Australia ‘dementia ready’?
Is business ready to cater for the ageing population and more people living with cognitive decline?
Discrimination and dementia
People with dementia can have active and fulfilling lives for many years after they are diagnosed.
Despite this, they often face discrimination and stigma. This can be an upsetting and isolating experience, and it can have a profound impact on their wellbeing and everyday life.
People living with dementia can be treated differently, such as others making jokes at their expense. These are some other common examples:
Family or friends withdrawing from them, or not inviting them to social events or activities.
Doctors and health professionals communicating only with their caregivers, or assuming they can’t make their own decisions.
People not offering them access to wellness or allied health services, based on the assumption that they won’t benefit from the support.
Employers not providing them with the same level of support – either to continue to work, or to transition out of work – as people with other conditions.
To learn more about dementia, discrimination, and how to support people affected by dementia, click here.
People living through the various stages of dementia make up a greater part of the nation’s older population as each year passes.
The preference of older people, supported by governments, is to age in their own homes and local communities.
That means more people who have dementia symptoms will be living their everyday lives, shopping and seeking services outside of institutionalised living.
But is the community “dementia ready”?
There are calls for businesses to recognise the importance of adapting to the needs of an ageing population, including the emerging challenges and opportunities of doing business with older people.
Local businesses are urged to be dementia ready while, at a higher corporate and strategic level, industries need to develop dementia action plans.
Dementia Training Australia (DTA), an Australian Government funded consortium of universities, wants businesses to better train their staff with the knowledge and skills to recognise and appropriately respond to situations involving people with dementia.
“Just as companies have cyber security and risk management plans, a dementia strategy should be an essential part of business continuity planning,” DTA executive director, Dr Isabelle Meyer, said.
“We’re no longer just talking about healthcare. This is a reality for everything we do within our community.”
DTA says Australian businesses and local councils are a decade behind their European counterparts in creating dementia-friendly communities.
All sectors need to lift their game, from financial services to hospitality and tourism.
Banks and other financial institutions need to be vigilant in recognising signs of cognitive decline in their clients.
Staff must be aware of sudden changes in financial behaviour, such as unusually large withdrawals or uncharacteristic spending patterns.
“This awareness helps protect vulnerable clients while navigating complex considerations,” Dr Meyer said.
In the hospitality and tourism sectors, the focus shifts to safety and customer experience. Hotels, cruise lines, and tourist attractions need to develop protocols to ensure the wellbeing of guests with dementia while providing an inclusive and enjoyable experience for all patrons.
Supermarkets, shopping centres, and public transport services are all environments where staff may encounter people living with dementia, often without realising it.
“If someone with dementia leaves without paying, staff are faced with a difficult position,” Dr Meyer said.
“Training to recognise confusion or distress is crucial. It’s about managing delicate situations compassionately while protecting the business.
“Introductory courses on dementia-related behaviours can help staff handle these scenarios professionally, ensuring a positive customer experience.”
DTA’s advice to ASX-listed companies is that having a dementia strategy could soon become a key component of their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments.
“From luxury retirement villages to banks, organisations realise that being dementia ready is not just about social responsibility, it’s about future-proofing their business,” Dr Meyer said.
DTA says dementia readiness is no longer a niche concern for the healthcare sector, it’s a critical component of business strategy for any organisation looking to thrive in an ageing society.
Related reading: DTA, Dementia Australia
