Run Your Own Business? 2 Tips To Make It Dementia Friendly For Your Customers

If you run your own business, you want everyone that walks through your door to feel comfortable shopping with you. One thing you must consider is someone coming there that has dementia. If this happens, it can take special care to make sure they and the family with them are comfortable pleased. One way you can make sure you do the right thing is to make your business dementia friendly.

Get Your Employees Trained

The first thing to do in order to make your business dementia friendly is to provide training for all your employees. All your employees need to understand how to care for customers that walk into your company that have dementia. One way to do this is for you and your employees take courses to meet the needs of the type of company that you have. These courses will teach you how to interact with people that have dementia and the best way to help them. You can contact the Alzheimer's Association to find course that are available to you.

Once you finish taking courses you should become certified as a dementia friendly business. You can often get this accreditation from where you get your training. The accreditation will be valuable to your business and you should display it in a frame where it can be seen. 

Create a Good Environment

You should also make sure your environment is set up to make things easier for customers that have dementia. First, remove any clutter from the interior. Separate things further apart. You could display simple signs showing the person with dementia where the exit door is. Some dementia patients may use a walker or be in a wheelchair. Because of this, make sure the aisles in your business are wide enough to accommodate this. You are likely already aware of the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) guidelines that you must follow as a business owner. Dementia friendly business accreditation services can help with this.

Consider installing a bathroom that is gender friendly. In most cases, people with dementia need help with toileting. This way no matter the gender of the caregiver they can go into the bathroom with their family member.  If you do not have the budget to make large changes to your business making small changes will be helpful. 

There are many more things your business can do to become dementia friendly. Talk with the training center that you attend, and they can give you some great tips. Once you are finished, advertise that your business is dementia friendly to increase your customer base.