The dark side of wellbeing: Dementia
Past HR Network Event
15 June 2017
Event resources
Slides
Dementia at work: Setting the scene
Stephen Bevan, Head of HR Research Development, IES
Supporting employees who are carers
Jem Bhatt, Trustee, Pathways Through Dementia
Further reading
Dementia-friendly workplaces
Stephen Bevan
This workshop covered such topics as:
- the scale of the dementia challenge;
- workplace adjustments for employees with dementia (case studies);
- how to support employees who are carers; and
- employers' legal obligations.
Speakers
Jem Bhatt, Trustee, Pathways Through Dementia
Facilitator: Professor Stephen Bevan, Head of HR Research Development, Institute for Employment Studies
Event details
One third of the UK workforce will be aged 50 or over by 2020 and 42 per cent of them will have at least one chronic health condition. A clear priority for employers is making sure that the growing proportion of older workers who have health problems are given the help they need to keep working.
The number of people with dementia in the UK is forecast to increase to over 1 million by 2025 and over 2 million by 2051 and there are currently over 40,000 people with dementia under the age of 65 in the UK. Up to 27 per cent of them continue to work after a diagnosis of dementia is confirmed.
Almost 90 per cent of employers believe that dementia will become a bigger issue for their organisation as the workforce ages, the retirement age rises and the number of people with dementia increases. This includes the growing number of employees caring for relatives with dementia. It is estimated, for example, that 21 per cent of these carers give up work or reduce hours at a cost to businesses in England of £1.6 billion.
