Heathrow is aiming to become the world's first avowedly dementia-friendly airport, with all 76,000 staff being trained in greater awareness of afflicted travellers' needs.
A select 1,050 members of special assistance squads are also taking part in the Alzheimer’s Society's Dementia Friendly Communities programme, using online resources and group sessions to broaden their understanding of the condition.
The squads are modelled on the 'parasport teams' deployed during the 2012 London Paralympics.
The airport is also reviewing security procedures, where lengthy queues can impose additional stress, and giving guards appropriate training.
Other solutions include signposted 'quiet areas', away from the airport’s typically high levels of light and sound, and rescue swoops by trained staff on evidently confused passengers.
Alzheimer’s Society chief executive, Jeremy Hughes, said: ‘Everyone has the right to be able to travel comfortably and with ease. A daunting or frightening experience for people affected by dementia can put them off travelling and lead to them feeling socially isolated.
'We hope this pioneering work will pave the way for all airports the world over to transform the air travel experience for people with dementia and their carers’.
Gatwick Airport has launched a first-of-its-kind voluntary lanyard for passengers with hidden disabilities such as dementia, to act as a discreet sign for staff that additional support or help may be required.
The airport has also increased awareness and training of airport staff and appointed ‘workplace champions’ to provide enhanced assistance for passengers with hidden disabilities.
The lanyard ensures staff are aware passengers may:
- Need more time to process information or more time to prepare themselves at security
- Need to remain with family at all times
- May react to sensory overload i.e. be surrounded by too much information
- Need staff to use clear verbal language as it may be difficult to understand facial expressions and/or body language
- Need staff to be visual with instructions and use closed questions to assist passengers effectively through the airport
- Benefit from a more comprehensive briefing on what to expect as they travel through the airport
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