Functional classification focuses on the user's abilities and challenges, irrespective of their medical or behavioral causes. Multiple functional disabilities can stem from one clinical diagnosis: A person with memory deficits may also have difficulty with attention or problem-solving.
Functional categories of cognitive disabilities include difficulties with:. Functional classifications are useful in web accessibility because they align to concerns of web designers and developers.
Telling a developer that some people have autism is only meaningful if the developer knows what kinds of barriers a person with autism might face with web content. On the other hand, telling a developer that some people have difficulties comprehending math gives the developer a meaningful context.
Developers simply need to understand and consider the user's range of abilities. A common model for explaining memory involves the concepts of working immediate memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. Some individuals with cognitive disabilities have difficulties with one, two, or all three. Some users cannot remember how they got to content. If a complex form displays multiple error messages, the user may be unable to remember multiple errors, and may even forget the error information before they are able to address the error.
Maintaining consistency in design and presentation minimizes memory requirements. Some individuals with cognitive disabilities have difficulty solving problems as they arise. Low resilience can cause frustration and lead the user to abandon the task or the site. Many individuals have difficulty keeping focus on the task at hand. Distractions such as animating carousels, "toast" popups, jiggling icons, and spontaneous dialog overlays can make task completion difficult or even impossible.
Even for neurotypical users, such movements impair usability. They might notice a change in their speech or behaviour, or that they have difficulty with their usual daily tasks. Cognitive impairment can come and go. In this situation, it is often called delirium. Delirium can be a sign of serious medical problems.
There are many causes of cognitive impairment. Some causes of short-term or reversible cognitive impairment include:. To work out if someone has cognitive impairment, health professionals might ask questions to test memory, concentration and understanding. They may also ask questions of family or carers, who might have noticed changes in the person's behaviour over time. Doctors may ask questions, examine the person, and organise additional tests to try to find the cause.
Treatment will depend on what is causing the cognitive impairment. If it is caused by an illness or condition, then that will need to be treated.
Physical activity, healthy sleep and relaxation techniques can help. Familiar objects might also be comforting. Not every older person will have cognitive impairment, but cognitive impairment is more common in older people. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Memory loss has long been accepted as a normal part of ageing. Recently there has been increasing recognition that some people experience a level of memory loss greater than that usually experienced with ageing, but without other signs of dementia.
As MCI has only recently been defined, there is limited research on it and there is much that we do not yet understand. Read more on Dementia Australia website. There is increasing evidence that a number of different chronic conditions are associated with the development of cognitive impairment and dementia. Offer counseling, such as support groups, vocational coaching and employee assistance programs. Staffing Considerations Employers' actions throughout the staffing process are important to ensuring fairness and preventing discrimination.
Employment applications To make the employment application process accessible to persons with cognitive impairments, the employer may have to adjust the organization's application forms and procedures. It may be necessary to: Simplify and minimize wording on the job application form, provide forms with large print, eliminate jargon and complicated language, and incorporate the use of pictures.
Allow a candidate to apply on tape or to provide required information by telephone. Provide clarification and assistance as needed concerning information requested on the job application form. Recruiting Opening the organization's recruitment processes to people with cognitive disabilities enables employers to tap into a valuable source of potential employees. Here are some of the ways an employer can effectively recruit workers with disabilities: Post open positions at job service or workforce employment centers.
Contact college and university career centers. Partner with disability-related advocacy organizations. Include people with disabilities in diversity recruitment goals. Post open positions or host booths at disability-related job fairs. Establish summer internship and mentoring programs. Post open positions at independent living centers.
Don't Overlook People with Disabilities Where can employers find qualified applicants with disabilities? Interviewing When it is known that applicants have a cognitive disability, you may ask them in advance of the interview what communication or support needs they may have and adjust accordingly. Accommodations Employers sometimes perceive an employee or a potential employee with cognitive disabilities as somewhat difficult to accommodate in the workplace. Accommodation ideas Two major categories of assistance that employers can offer employees with cognitive disabilities are assistive technology and individualized work environments.
Following are workplace modifications that may benefit people who are cognitively impaired: Workstations : Avoid isolating workstations. Safety At all times, but especially during emergencies, people must be able to find their way to their destinations with a minimum of help. To help make the environment accessible for such employees, consider modifications such as these: Use varying architectural materials and styles so that spaces do not all look the same.
This makes identifying landmarks easier for everyone and is especially beneficial to people who have difficulty interpreting information. At points where a direction decision must be made, avoid similar-appearing choices.
Instead, provide changes in lighting, texture, color and acoustics at transition points to differentiate direction options. Provide appropriate signage where it is needed. Graphics, especially international or other standard symbols, should be used whenever possible, and they should be accompanied by textual descriptions. Use familiar graphics and clear, simple language. Supervision A separate category of accommodations centers on supervisory procedures.
Management Considerations An individual's disability should not define the person any more than should age, gender, race or other personal characteristic. Onboarding The onboarding process can be made more accessible to a new employee with a cognitive impairment in numerous ways. If the onboarding process for an employee with cognitive impairments requires off-the-job training and assessment, the employer may want to consider adjustments such as: Putting people in groups that are smaller than usual.
Asking questions orally rather than on written tests. Giving the new employee extra time to go through a training manual. Putting training materials in formats more accessible for the employee. Allowing a support worker to attend the training. Similarly, implementing some of the following suggestions may help employees with cognitive impairments feel more comfortable in the workplace: When speaking to someone who has a cognitive disability, be alert to the person's responses, and adjust the method of communication if necessary.
Keep in mind that some people may benefit more from simple, direct sentences or from supplementary visual forms of communication, such as gestures, diagrams or demonstrations. Repeat information by using different wording or a different communication approach if necessary and allow sufficient time for the information to be fully processed and understood. Do not pretend to understand the person if you do not.
Ask the person to repeat what he or she said. In conversation, people with some types of cognitive impairments may respond more slowly; remain patient, flexible and supportive by giving them additional time to process information and respond accordingly.
Do not expect all people to read well; some may not read at all. Be selective in job placement; try to match each person with work that best suits his or her individual skills, strengths and limitations. People with visual-perception problems may prefer spoken directions and may need extra time to complete assignments. People with auditory or perceptual problems may need to have directions repeated and may take notes to help them remember directions or a sequence of tasks.
They may benefit most from watching a demonstration of a task. They may also require a longer training period than other employees. Performance management Employees with cognitive disabilities are usually held to the same performance appraisal and performance management standards and procedures as those applied to other employees.
Such modifications to organizational performance management policies and procedures may include: Asking a support agency or other organization to help recast and further simplify the language of current forms or to make such forms accessible in other formats. Allowing an employee with a cognitive impairment to have a support worker or a colleague who acts as a "natural support" with them during performance-related meetings. Allowing extra time for performance-related meetings.
Considering possible adjustments to enable a person with cognitive disabilities to achieve specific targets.
Employee Relations The success of an employee with a cognitive disability may depend on how well the employee gets along with supervisors and co-workers. Following are suggestions from experts on ways that employers can help employees learn about cognitive impairments and treat their co-workers equitably: Create a self-help library of resources on cognitive impairments; materials could include online resources, books and CDs.
Provide training on cognitive impairments and brain injuries to dispel common misconceptions. Send employees monthly e-mails containing helpful tips on various mental and physical health topics. Provide policies and guidelines on appropriate workplace conduct, including statements on discrimination, harassment and workplace bullying, and schedule regular sessions with employees to discuss those topics.
Enlist the aid of a subject-matter expert to discuss cognitive impairments and brain injuries with employees. Designate an individual or a group to be responsible for ensuring ownership and accountability for employment equity initiatives in each department or division. Provide sensitivity training for co-workers. Facilitate open discussions with workers, both those with and without disabilities, to encourage them to express their thoughts on cognitive-impairment issues and to develop strategies to deal with such issues.
Privacy Employers must respect an employee's right to confidentiality about his or her impairment and any needs relating to it. Harassment Many people with cognitive disabilities are victims of harassment or bullying, and unfortunately this sometimes occurs in the workplace. Legal Considerations The principal standards for employers regarding disabilities are detailed in the following federal laws: The Americans with Disabilities Act ADA , which prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training and other employment matters.
The law took effect in Premium statistics. Read more. This statistic shows the percentage of people in the U. As of that year, an estimated 7. You need a Single Account for unlimited access. Full access to 1m statistics Incl. Single Account. View for free. Show source. Show detailed source information? Register for free Already a member? Log in. More information. Other statistics on the topic.
Demographics U. State of Health Share of people in the U. State of Health Poverty rate among people with and without disabilities from to John Elflein.
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