13,000 people in Hong Kong experiencing young-onset dementia (YOD) before age of 65
In World Alzheimer's Month, Hong Kong's Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) launched a new guide that aims to help employers support employees with dementia and those caring for persons with dementia.
The document, How to Support Employees with Dementia at Work – A Practical Guide for Employers, will help enhance employers' understanding of dementia amid "widespread misunderstanding" about it in society, according to EOC Chairperson Linda Lam Mei-sau.
"The EOC has released this guide, not only for enhancing public awareness of dementia and employees with dementia, but also for deepening employers' understanding of the needs and rights of persons with dementia, such that they can provide more appropriate support to employees and avoid discrimination, thereby fostering a respectful and inclusive work environment," Lam added in a statement.
Among the recommendations in the report is fostering open communication between employers and employees with dementia, as well as creating a calm and attentive atmosphere for these employees.
Employers should also provide reasonable accommodations through adjusted work arrangements and practices to ensure that people with dementia receive equal employment opportunities, according to the EOC guide.
Dementia in Hong Kong
Dementia is an umbrella term referring to various degenerative brain syndromes affecting one's memory, thinking, behaviour, and emotions, among others, with Alzheimer's disease being the most common type of it.
Research cited by the EOC revealed that an estimated 100,000 people were living with dementia in Hong Kong in 2009, with this figure expected to balloon to over 330,000 in 2039.
This includes over 13,000 people experiencing young-onset dementia (YOD), defined as the onset of symptoms before the age of 65.
Henry Shie Wai-hung, EOC Member and Honorary Treasurer of the Hong Kong Alzheimer's Disease Association, said many of these YOD patients were still working when diagnosed.
And with more people deferring their retirement, Shie said they are expecting employees with dementia to continue increasing.
"How to support them to continue their work will become a challenge for both the employers and those employees with dementia," he said in a statement.
Shie further stressed that employees caring for persons with dementia at home should also receive assistance, as they may experience high levels of stress and emotional demands.
"They greatly need understanding and support from employers."
Employers' obligations for accommodation
Meanwhile, Doris Tsui Ue-ting, Head (Policy, Research, and Training) of the EOC, reminded employers that people with dementia are protected by the Disability Discrimination Ordinance.
This prohibits employers from treating them less favourably, including dismissing them, on the grounds of their abilities, Tsui said.
"Instead, employers should provide them with reasonable accommodations, unless they can prove that providing these accommodations would cause them unjustifiable hardship or that the employees cannot perform the inherent requirements of the job."
Hong Kong's latest practical guide to support employees with dementia is the latest guidance from the EOC, which has the mandate of implementing the anti-discrimination ordinances in the financial hub.
"We hope that these guidelines and codes will help enhance public awareness of different types of disabilities and assist stakeholders in providing accommodation for persons with disabilities, so that they can exercise their right of equal participation in society," Lam said.
