I am a Solicitor in the Private Client department and am aware that, in our everyday lives, an increasing number of people around us will be living with dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, 1 in 14 people over 65 will be diagnosed with some form of dementia, so I know that many of my clients either are, or will be, affected by this illness at some point. People who have dementia frequently require assistance in order to carry out daily tasks and feel a part of their society.
As a solicitor within the private client department, I am dedicated to providing the best service for all my clients in a safe and comfortable environment, to achieve this myself and other members of the RLE Law team have taken part in sessions ran by Rhondda Rotary (as part of their Dementia Friendly Treorchy launch) and Dementia Friends. I am proud to say that I am a Dementia Friend and I aim to become a Dementia Champion.
The Dementia Friends training has given me the tools to be more mindful about how my own actions can impact those living with Dementia. Being a Dementia Friend has helped me to understand the impact of dementia and how dementia can impact on someone’s life including their communication and understanding. Following the training, I have looked at how I can best deliver my services to people with dementia and how I can make suitable adjustments to ensure I can give the best possible service. I strive to ensure that I provide a comfortable and understanding environment for all my clients and their loved ones.
This training has allowed me to tailor my interactions and legal advice to ensure that my clients are more comfortable during meetings and fully understand the legal terminology used. I learnt that when speaking with a client who has dementia it is important to use dementia-friendly literature and language to ensure that they fully understand everything that is being discussed during the meeting and in all correspondence. When explaining legal matters and terminology to clients I always ensure that I use clear and concise language and that I explain all documents in a way that it is easier for everyone to understand and I avoid using legal jargon. From completing the Dementia Friends training I am now more confident in my ability to successfully help and support a client with dementia.
During the training, the Dementia Friends ambassador also shared stories about the experiences of people living with dementia and how the actions of those around them and their loved ones, had both positive and negative implications. These stories made me consider how I approach matters both inside and outside of work and how my actions, big or small, may have an impact on someone living with dementia. They also made me consider how people living with dementia can become easily isolated and the importance of having a strong local community to try and prevent this from happening. The Rhondda Rotary’s Dementia Friendly Treorchy campaign is aimed at creating a dementia friendly community, where people living with dementia are understood, respected, and supported, to ensure people living with dementia are confident they can contribute to community life. I am pleased to work within a dementia friendly community and workplace.