While living in the U.S., I had an opportunity to learn about the sunflower lanyard (strap) called the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower. I found it quite fascinating as its idea is similar to the Help Mark* in Japan but spreading across the globe.
Wearing this green lanyard with sunflower patterns serves as a subtle indicator that the person may have a hidden disability or challenge. The program, first launched in 2016 at London Gatwick Airport, has been expanding to various places across the world, including airports, railway systems, shopping centers, and sports facilities. According to the program website, the lanyard, as well as related information, is also available at several locations in Japan, including Haneda and Narita airports.
The lanyard is used by people with various hidden disabilities and conditions such as developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, mental health issues, and chronic conditions. Wearing the lanyard does not necessarily mean the person always needs special help. The item is used as one of the tools to send messages like, “I need a little more time,” “I’d like you to explain this more slowly,” “I can easily get anxious in unfamiliar environments,” and “I’ll appreciate it if you reach out to me when needed.”
I’ve got interested in this program for many reasons, and one of them is that it goes beyond the lanyard itself: It also focuses on building a society where people understand these challenges. Businesses and organizations that support and participate in the program provide training to help their employees learn how to support lanyard users. For example, employees learn to take time to serve customers rather than rushing them, provide clear and simple explanations, and reach out to users as needed. Instead of making people with challenges work hard to communicate their needs, the program aims to build a system so that society can notice, understand, and help address these challenges. This idea also gives valuable insights when we think about lives of people with dementia. Even if they seem fine when having a conversation, some of them may feel overwhelmed in crowded or unfamiliar places and/or with complex procedures. Since such challenges are difficult for others to see, people with dementia may keep their concerns and confusion to themselves.
What can we do to help overcome these challenges? A family member of a person with young-onset dementia gave me a useful tip the other day. The person found it increasingly difficult to dress themselves, such as recognizing which side is front or back and how to button a shirt. The family member decided to buy clothes developed for people with a different disability, and it worked beautifully!
When exploring creative ways to address the needs of people with dementia, it certainly is essential that we listen to them about the challenges they face. Meanwhile, we tend to look for solutions and improvements only within the dementia field. But we can also learn a lot from insights and creative measures developed by those with other disabilities and conditions.
It is true that people with dementia have unique symptoms and challenges in everyday life, continuing to need specific support and understanding. An example of such support, tailored to the wishes and needs of people with dementia, is the promotion of “Helpcards: Making Wishes of People with Dementia Come True.” The card is designed to help people with dementia communicate their needs and requests like “How can I go to this place?” and “Could you teach me how to use this thing?” It is an essential initiative aiming to support people with dementia so that they can keep living their lives in the way they like.
Along with dementia-specific initiatives, we can also pay attention to the lives of people from diverse backgrounds and in different conditions, including what are similar to and different from dementia. Some of the challenges facing people with dementia are also experienced by people with other disabilities, illnesses, and changes due to aging. What is helpful for people with dementia in everyday life can also be helpful for others. We can also apply concepts developed in the dementia field, such as understanding the person and adapting environments, to different fields as well. We can learn from and support each other, and doing so is not a one-way but a two-way street.
Rather than limiting our attention only to dementia, or ignoring dementia and its uniqueness, we can explore different possibilities by paying attention to similarities to and differences from the lives of people in various conditions. Aiming for a dementia-friendly society also means aiming for society for all. Hidden Disabilities Sunflower has given me an opportunity to revisit what a dementia-friendly society means.
* Help Mark in Japan (in English)
https://www.fukushi1.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/helpmarkforcompany/multilingual/en.html
[References]
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower official
website: https://hdsunflower.com/
The website also provides information on
initiatives and supporting organizations/businesses in Japan.
Helpcards: Making Wishes of People with
Dementia Come True
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000170500.html
(in Japanese)
The website provides promotional guidebook, video, flyers, as well as card templates.
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