It is estimated that nearly one in five U.S. workers (19%), are age 65 or older, nearly double the amount in 1987, according to the association.
Alzheimer’s disease has different stages with varying levels of impairment. While people holding high-demand jobs or jobs with a life-and-death focus will likely leave quickly, someone in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s may be able to stay in many jobs for another year with the right supports as they begin to transition out of the workforce.
The greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is increasing age. It is estimated that one in nine Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s. An estimated 236,200 Ohioans 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
“As our population and workforce ages, the possibility of having employees who experience cognitive impairment is real,” Barnett said.
In mild Alzheimer’s, a person may seem healthy but increasingly has trouble making sense of the world around them, according to the National Institute on Aging. Mild stages of Alzheimer’s can include symptoms like memory loss, losing track of dates or knowing current location, taking longer to complete normal daily tasks, and changes in mood or personality.
An aging workforce
People are staying in the workforce longer because they may not be able to afford to retire or quit working entirely.
“We financially have to work longer, so people work past 65,” said Tina Timmons, who is the owner of Oasis Senior Advisors and volunteers as an educator for the Alzheimer’s Association. Timmons is certified as both a senior advisor and a dementia practitioner.
People may also stay because they enjoy the people they work with and the work that they do.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
“People want to do it for socialization, just to stay mentally and physically fit, so a lot of times people are working later for a lot of different reasons,” Timmons said.
Supporting caregivers
In addition to businesses preparing to navigate cognitive impairment in their own employees, they can help other employees if they are one of the more than 400,000 unpaid caregivers in Ohio for loved ones with dementia.
If someone needs to take time off work to help care for someone with dementia, their employer can help get them back to work sooner.
“We’re a great resource because we can get employees back to work faster if they have those resources to be able to explore, be it non-medical home care (or) an adult day center maybe for a family member to go to during the day,” Timmons said.
Families don’t always know about some of those options, Timmons said, so employee assistance programs and human resources personnel could help make them aware of resources available to them.
Reducing the stigma
Businesses can offer training to human resources personnel and supervisors on the warning signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia and on basic disability law through the Americans with Disabilities Act, the association says.
Employers who acknowledge cognitive impairment may help reduce stigma surrounding the condition.
“I think if we make it more of the language that we talk about on a daily basis, people will be more comfortable saying that they’re dealing with it and talking to doctors, because the earlier they do that and the earlier they seek medical advice, then the better treatments they can get, the more support they have,” Timmons said.
An early diagnosis can help their employees get some of the latest treatments that help hold off dementia symptoms, potentially allowing those employees to stay in the workforce a little longer.
Fostering a compassionate work environment
Employers can be prepared to make accommodations for their employees or help their employees make a dignified exit, the association says.
“By raising awareness and creating policies regarding dementia, companies can support their employees, optimize productivity and foster a compassionate work environment,” said Eric Sedwick, Alzheimer’s Association Miami Valley Chapter board president and system director at Premier Health.
Additional recommendations from the Alzheimer’s Association for being dementia-friendly include:
- Helping employees fully understand disability benefits and retirement and work options.
- Considering accommodations for employees who wish to keep working and are able to, based on job responsibilities and safety. These may include modifying roles and responsibilities, flexible work hours, “buddy” employees and additional supervision.
- Evaluating the status of any accommodations (from both workers’ and the employer’s perspective), adjustments that may be needed, and employees’ interest in remaining at work versus retiring.
The Alzheimer’s Association Greater Cincinnati Chapter, which includes the Miami Valley, offers a variety of free educational programming for local businesses about Alzheimer’s warning signs, latest research and treatments, as well as details on the free local support and services available to families.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s or other dementia and to access free support and resources, visit alz.org/dayton or call the Miami Valley Chapter at 937-291-3332 or the 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.
The Alzheimer’s Association offers 10 early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia to help individuals and families identify potential warning signs.
Signs and symptoms include:
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life;
- Challenges in planning or solving problems;
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks;
- Confusion with time or place;
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships;
- New problems with words in speaking or writing;
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps;
- Decreased or poor judgment;
- Withdrawal from work or social activities;
- Changes in mood and personality.
Facts and figures on dementia, Alzheimer’s:
- The number of Americans with dementia is projected to grow by nearly 14 million by 2060, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
- More than 4,900 Ohioans died from Alzheimer’s in 2021, the most recent year for state-by-state data.
- A total of 414,000 Ohio caregivers provide 624 million hours of unpaid care each year valued at over $11.4 billion.
- Of the caregivers in Ohio, about 63.7% have also reported suffering from a chronic condition, 27.8% have reported experiencing depression and 17.4% have said they have frequent poor physical health, according to the association.
- About 11.3% of Ohioans over the age of 65 are living with Alzheimer’s.
- Ohio’s mortality rate of 42% for dementia is higher than the national mortality rate of 36%.
- Alzheimer’s dementia is the seventh leading cause of death in Ohio.
- Of primary care physicians caring for people living with Alzheimer’s, 55% say there are not enough dementia care specialists in their communities.
- In Ohio, a 229.4% increase in this workforce will be needed to care for the state’s population by 2050.
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