Jobs for People with Dementia
Dementia is a term that refers to the loss of memory, cognition, and ability to perform tasks. Dementia manifests itself in different stages and levels of severity, with some people experiencing very mild symptoms of dementia at the beginning and others progressing to having extremely life-limiting experiences.
It may seem unusual to write about jobs for people with dementia. You may assume that people with dementia cannot work at all. However, in a market where we are working later and later in our lives, it is possible that people with early stages of dementia may wish to continue working until a certain point. They may wish to do so in order to retain social connections, to maintain a healthy routine, and to give themselves more financial security for the future.
With that in mind, we are going to talk about the best jobs for people with dementia on this page.
What are the Best Jobs for People with Dementia?
Working with dementia at any stage is never easy, however, it is not impossible either. The best way to manage this situation is to find a job that matches the following criteria:
- Your employer is disability-friendly and part of the Disability Confident Scheme. They know how to appropriately work with and support people of all disabilities and health conditions.
- The working environment is physically and socially acceptable. The workplace focuses on disability awareness and makes reasonable adjustments that disabled members of staff need to be comfortable at work.
- The recruitment process is accessible and does not exclude disabled candidates, right from job adverts to interview processes.
- Discrimination is dealt with appropriately and there is a zero-tolerance policy for discriminatory behaviour towards disabled employees.
Finding a job that matches these criteria is the best way to guarantee that having a job while dealing with dementia in its early stages will be as safe and appropriate as possible.
Where to Find Them
Here at Careers with Disabilities, we help people of all abilities find their dream job. We know just how important it is for people living with disabilities and health conditions to find employers and working conditions that are appropriate for them.
Finding an inclusive, safe, and diverse working environment is the best way forward for everyone, but it is particularly critical when you are living with something as challenging as dementia. Luckily, we can help you find the perfect working environment for you with both our disability-friendly job board and directory of inclusive employers.
You can also check out our Disability Advice Hub for more specific career advice for people with dementia and other related disabilities.