The Hair Surgery Owner is encouraging salons to better support clients living with dementia.
Published:To mark the beginning of Dementia Action Week, which takes place from 18–24 May, Tim Scott-Wright is encouraging salons to better understand how they can support clients living with dementia and memory loss conditions.
Scott-Wright, owner of The Hair Surgery, has spent more than 30 years in the hair industry and says salons are increasingly encountering clients affected by dementia as the UK’s ageing population continues to grow.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, around 1.4 million people in the UK are projected to be living with dementia by 2050, making awareness and accessibility an increasingly important conversation for salon professionals.
“I have been working in the industry for 30 years, and over that time, I have often seen clients’ health deteriorate due to old age, but dementia is such a cruel disease that must be treated so sensitively,”
– Scott-Wright.
“It’s particularly heartbreaking for me right now as some of my long-standing clients, who have followed me throughout my career, are now in their 70s, 80s and 90s and are living with dementia. I care about them a great deal, and I am passionate about making sure their salon visits are as safe and as comfortable as possible.”
Scott-Wright is now sharing practical advice with fellow salon professionals, stressing that supporting clients with dementia often comes down to awareness, patience and communication rather than major operational changes.
One of the key recommendations is ensuring teams are trained to recognise how dementia can affect communication and behaviour. Regular staff discussions and awareness training can help teams identify signs such as confusion, anxiety or repetitive conversation, while building empathy and confidence in handling sensitive situations.
Scott-Wright says adapting communication styles can make a significant difference to a client’s comfort during appointments.
“If a client repeats a story, you listen every time, and if they talk as if it were 30 years ago, you go along with it. Challenging a client’s memory can cause distress or embarrassment.”
Instead, he encourages stylists to focus on calm, reassuring conversation and maintaining a positive salon experience.
Busy salon spaces can also become overwhelming or disorientating for vulnerable clients, making awareness around safety increasingly important. Scott-Wright advises salons to make simple adjustments, such as seating clients in visible areas, assisting them around the salon when needed and remaining mindful of their surroundings throughout the appointment.
“Keep an eye out while being respectful. Don’t treat them as invalids.”
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Scott-Wright also highlights the role salons can play in supporting families and carers, many of whom accompany loved ones to appointments as dementia progresses.
For many clients, maintaining regular salon visits can provide comfort, familiarity and a sense of identity, helping preserve routines that remain meaningful.
“Communicate with the family, be open and flexible. Show them that they can trust their loved one in your care.”
As the number of people aged over 65 in England continues to rise, Scott-Wright believes dementia awareness will become an increasingly important part of salon culture and education.
“The ageing population means we will see conditions such as dementia more and more in our salons. It’s vital that we can recognise the signs and have the tools to support these clients”.
As hairdressers, we build relationships that last decades, and we see our clients through every stage of life. This is just another example of what we do as a profession to be more than just a hairdresser.
For more information, please visit: www.timscottwright.co.uk, and www.alzheimers.org.uk.
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