Employers urged to watch for early signs of dementia

Employers have been urged to stay vigilant and watch for early signs of dementia among their workers.

A new Dementia Strategy was published by the government yesterday which claims that dementia cases in the UK are set to double to 1.4 million over the next four years.

As a result, organisations and employers, along with schools and the general public, are being targeted by a new campaign which aims to raise awareness about the disease, Workplace Law Network reports.

The strategy states: Such a campaign could target the human resources and occupational health departments of employers so they are aware of the early signs.

A spokesperson for ClickAJob reminds that dementia is just one of many conditions employers should be aware of.

If an employee's performance suddenly slips, it's not always their fault, he says.

With modern medicine, all kinds of conditions are emerging that can be helped if only managers know what to look for.

If we can make plans for other physically or mentally challenged employees, we help those with dementia - it seems sad to lose a good member of staff unless it's unavoidable, he concludes

Employers are also being advised that those workers caring for dementia sufferers are likely to be under extra stress.

Dementia occurs when the brain is unable to process signals because nerve cells are not working properly. This results in memory loss, feelings of disorientation and changes in personality or behaviour.