Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Dementia Care

Is It Possible To Have Diversity, Equality and Inclusion In Dementia Care?

People with dementia can be very vulnerable and may not be able to communicate their wants and needs to other people. It is therefore up to the people who are caring for the individual to make sure that their interests are being protected, and to ensure that they are being treated equally and fairly and do not face any discrimination. Many people do not understand dementia and do not know how to go about trying to communicate with someone living with the disability that is dementia. It is easier for them to ignore the person than to make any attempt to include them. It is this lack of knowledge and understanding which leads to inequality, discrimination and isolation. To show that it is possible to have diversity, equality and inclusion when working with people with dementia we need to first understand what each term means. Diversity is about difference; everyone is different, we are all unique. There are basic differences such as gender, race, culture, ability, beliefs, age, sexual orientation etc. Then there are more specific differences between people such as their likes and dislikes, they jobs they did or still do, hobbies and interests they might have, their unique life experiences etc. Equality means treating people as equals and respecting their differences. It means enabling people to have “equality of opportunity” to live a safe, happy and productive life despite their differences. Inclusion means including people rather than leaving them out. If, for example, a person has a disability which affects their mobility then efforts should be made to make things accessible for them, such as putting ramps into buildings instead of steps. Or a person with a hearing disability should not be excluded from going to the cinema, subtitles should be available. To ensure that a person with dementia is being treated equally and fairly the first step would be to find out about that