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CHICAGO – Faced with an aging American workforce, companies have more and more difficult conversations with employees struggling with cognitive decline, experts say.
Workers in the early stages of dementia may find it difficult to perform tasks they have completed without difficulty. Historically, punctual employees may forget scheduled meetings. And those who have been to the same office day after day, sometimes for years, may lose their way on their daily journeys.
"I spoke to a number of families where a person did not realize the illness and did not know what was going on. And they were fired for performance problems before anyone knew what the diagnosis was, "says Ruth Drew, director of information and support services at the nonprofit Alzheimer's Association. Drew also oversees the organization's 24-hour help line.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the number of US workers aged 65 to 74 will increase by 55% between 2014 and 2024, with growth of 86% for the labor force over 75 years of age.
It is this age group of 65 years and over who is most likely to face a diagnosis of dementia, although early symptoms may afflict younger people. And while studies show that the rate of diagnoses of dementia has actually decreased in recent years, the large number of older American workers who are expected to remain in the labor market is leaving more and more workers and employers prey to prospect of dementia in the office.
"And it's not just about managing missed deadlines. It's about managing their frustration with everything that's happening, "says Sarah Wood, Director of Global Workplace Services at Workplace Options, a North Carolina-based consulting and training organization. "If this person is a trustworthy employee for 40 years and is now missing meetings, she will be sorry."
The Americans with Disabilities Act, which guarantees certain rights and conditions of work, covers people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and certain other forms of dementia, depending on the position and the degree of disability. 'employee.
"The trick is to determine what tasks they can still perform and what they can still do safely to keep contributing," Wood said.
According to David Fram, director of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Equal Opportunities Services at the National Institute for Non-Profit Employment Law, David Fram, director of the Equal Opportunities Act , offers written solutions such as written instructions rather than verbal orders. He notes that employers simply can not fire an employee solely because of a diagnosis of disability or dementia, so that person can still fulfill certain working conditions.
"The next question is whether they are qualified for their work. And this is the most difficult point, depending on the state of progress (dementia), "he says. "People must do the essential duties of the job."
This creates a delicate balance between employer and employee. For some, disclosing dementia to an employer could pave the way for adjustments in the workplace. For others, the fear of stigmatization, or even termination of office.
Mike Belleville, 57, a former telecommunications technician with Verizon, now living in Bellingham, Mbadachusetts, was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2012.
He said that receiving his diagnosis "almost came back to saying," Hey, here's what's wrong with me. And that's why I was wrong. "
Belleville said his "aha" moment had come when his performance began to slip and that his younger colleagues that he had initially trained began to guide him in his work.
He says he would not have had access to certain benefits, such as short-term disability insurance, if he had not disclosed his health to his employer. Her supervisors eventually reduced her hours and workload, which allowed her to work several months on a regular salary before taking a disability leave.
"If you drive a semi-cross and get lost, OK, you should not do it. But could you work on the loading dock? Could you have an office job? How can we accommodate people so that they can continue to contribute meaningfully to society? "Demand Al Power, internist and geriatrician who has conducted extensive research and writings on dementia.
After being misdiagnosed, Mary Radnofsky, a 60-year-old former teacher, currently lives in the metropolitan area of Washington, DC, learned that she was suffering from a rare form of leukoencephalopathy causing stroke. convulsions and cognitive disorders.
The deterioration of her condition led her to give up her teaching career at the University of Hawaii in 2011, even before her official diagnosis.
"Apparently, I looked healthy on paper and in person, I had a very good education and was" too young "to suffer from dementia," she says.
Early symptoms of dementia often reflect other conditions that can alter cognitive function or even other types of dementia. In Belleville, for example, the onset of Alzheimer's disease was initially diagnosed before doctors recognized Lewy body dementia.
According to Rod Blough, a former human resources manager at Luxottica, early diagnosis of the disease has been diagnosed in medical reports, further complicating the task for his patients. Lewy body disease and dementia.
"If a patient is categorically opposed to a certain diagnosis, he may be able to influence a certain doctor so that he does not put that language in his medical file. And that can help you on the job side, "he says. "If your employer wants to see medical documents, you can show them documents that suggest you're still good enough to work."
Blough notes that this may not be the best option for long-term employees, as their access to Social Security disability and other resources will be influenced by possibly inaccurate medical documents. But he says the decisions of people with dementia to stay in the workforce are often very personal.
The geriatrician, Power, suggests that the US "continues to deny its public policies" in the face of an aging workforce and the support of employees with dementia. And that, he says, has imposed a "heavier burden on society".
"I do not think people know how to react to this aging population," he says. "We should have planned for that 30 years ago."
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EDITOR'S NOTE – Andrew Soergel is studying the issues of aging and the workforce through a 10-month fellowship at the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which is partnering with independent NORC research and AP journalism. The scholarship is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
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