Pani Schutte
Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, South Africa
Title: The impact of cognitive impairment on the workplace (employer and employee) and needed collaboration between the employer and the specialists
Biography
Biography: Pani Schutte
Abstract
The burden of Brain Disorders on the society is immense and can be considered one the top global health challenges of the 21st century. This is one of the findings of a recent report, coordinated by the European Brain Council (EBC) and the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP). The societal and workplace burden increases when the net is cast a little wider to include the broader area of Cognitive Impairment due to various etiologies. Cognitive Impairment can develop gradually as a result of a disease, or suddenly as a result of a specific injury. In either case, the individual may seem to make a full recovery but may have subtle “invisible” cognitive impairment, which may have a major negative impact on their workability and productivity. This, in turn, has a major cost effect on the employer with regards to direct costs (salary, sick leave, etc.) as well as indirect costs (burnout of and resignations by other employees taking on an extra load, decreased production, etc). How do we manage individuals with cognitive impairment? Fulfilling our ethical obligation, we as health care practitioners have to take hands with organizations, collaborating in the design and implementation of programmes and systems to work in the best interest of the individuals and the organizations. to make a full recovery, but may have subtle “invisible” cognitive impairment, which may have a major negative impact on their workability and productivity. This, in turn, has a major cost effect on the employer with regards to direct costs (salary, sick leave, etc.) as well as indirect costs (burnout of and resignations by other employees taking on an extra load, decreased production, etc). How do we manage individuals with cognitive impairment? Fulfilling our ethical obligation, we as health care practitioners have to take hands with organizations, collaborating in the design and implementation of programmes and systems to work in the best interest of the individuals and the organizations.