Becoming a Dementia-Friendly Organisation: Why It Matters and Why We Care
At EB Critical, we believe that everyone deserves to feel welcome, understood, and supported whether they are walking through our doors for a site visit, calling our office, or engaging with us in any part of their day. That is why we are proud to be working towards becoming a recognised Dementia-Friendly Organisation. But what does that actually mean for an industrial asset engineering company, and why are we so passionate about it?
What Does It Mean to Be Dementia-Friendly?
Being dementia-friendly is about more than just awareness. It means creating an environment where people living with dementia and their carers feel understood, included, and able to stay active in everyday life. It is about recognising that small changes can make a huge difference.
For a critical industrial asset engineering company like EB Critical, being dementia-friendly might not seem immediately obvious. Our work involves complex machinery, technical expertise, and high-stakes environments. But the truth is, dementia touches every sector and every community. It affects our clients, our suppliers, our contractors, and our own colleagues and their families.
A dementia-friendly organisation is one where people with dementia can engage with our services with confidence. That means:
- Our team has the awareness and skills to offer patient, respectful, and flexible support whether that is a colleague whose parent is living with dementia, a client who needs extra time during a meeting, or a supplier navigating our processes
- Our communication is clear and accessible, avoiding jargon and ensuring information is easy to follow
- Our environments both physical and digital are thoughtfully designed to reduce confusion and anxiety
- Carers feel recognised and included, understanding that they are valued partners in the people they support
In practical terms, this might look like:
- Dementia awareness training for our team, so they understand what dementia is and how it can affect someone’s experience of our services, our communications, or our worksites
- Clearer signage and thoughtful layout in our offices and facilities to help people navigate our space with confidence
- Patient, flexible service that allows extra time when it is needed, without pressure or judgment whether that is during a site induction, a client meeting, or a phone call
- Small environmental adjustments such as avoiding dark mats that can appear like holes to someone with dementia, ensuring good lighting, and providing quiet spaces for conversations
- Inclusive communication practices using plain English, avoiding unnecessary technical shorthand, and being prepared to repeat or rephrase information without frustration
Why This Matters to Us
The statistics are staggering. There are currently around 982,000 people living with dementia in the UK, and this figure is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. Dementia has overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death in England and Wales. More than one in three people with dementia do not have a formal diagnosis.
But behind these numbers are real people our clients, our suppliers, our contractors, our neighbours, our families, and for many of us, our loved ones.
Dementia has touched our team directly. We have experienced the frustration of watching someone we love struggle in a shop or a café simply because the environment wasn’t accessible to them. We have seen the stigma and the isolation that too often comes with a diagnosis. We have felt the helplessness of wanting to help but not knowing how.
That is why this is not just a box-ticking exercise for us. It’s personal.
And as an engineering company built on precision, problem-solving, and making complex systems work safely and efficiently, we believe we have a responsibility and the skills to apply that same thoughtful approach to how we support people living with dementia.
What We are Committing To
As part of our journey towards becoming dementia-friendly, we are committing to:
- Training our team through Dementia Friends sessions or equivalent awareness training, so everyone at EB Critical understands dementia and how it can affect people’s experiences
- Reviewing our physical environment our offices, facilities, and worksites to identify small changes that make our spaces easier to navigate and more comfortable for people living with dementia
- Building patience and flexibility into our service, understanding that some clients, suppliers, and colleagues may need more time, clearer communication, or a quieter environment
- Adapting our communication to be as clear and accessible as possible, avoiding unnecessary jargon and ensuring information is easy to follow
- Listening to people affected by dementia and their carers, so we can continue to learn and improve
We know this is a journey, not a destination. We won’t get everything right immediately. But we are committed to learning, adapting, and doing better.
Join Us
We are proud to be part of a growing movement of businesses and organisations working to create communities where people with dementia feel understood, respected, and supported.
We encourage other engineering and industrial businesses to consider doing the same. Dementia doesn’t discriminate, and neither should our response to it.
Together, we can build a community and an industry where everyone feels welcome.
