Technology can help people with dementia stay on the job.

Researchers say digital tools — including automatic scheduling, biometric logins and language models — can help some people with dementia continue working by reducing cognitive and physical barriers.

Digital tools are being discussed as a way to help people with dementia remain in the workforce. James Fletcher, an assistant professor of digital futures at the University of Bath, has researched how people with dementia use technology for more than a decade. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal he described how everyday devices and newer tools can lower cognitive load and support continued employment. The conversation highlights examples such as scheduling aids, biometrics, navigation technology and language tools. What we know: - Automatic scheduling and shared calendars can alert users in advance and let family or colleagues help manage meetings. - Biometric authentication can reduce the need to remember complex passwords. - Navigation systems, bespoke campus maps and experimental augmented reality displays can assist people who have trouble finding their way. - Natural-language interfaces and dictation can reduce multi-step processes and help those with attention or motor difficulties. - Large language models and text-prediction tools can simplify or rewrite text for easier comprehension and assist people with aphasia; these tools may be set up at an organizational level. Summary: Experts say these technologies can lower cognitive load and make continuing employment more feasible for some people with dementia. Wider use will depend on workplace adoption and visible organizational support structures, which Fletcher described as regular, non-intrusive check-ins and accessible, organization-level tools.