Dementia Awareness Week 15 May 2016

As it is Dementia Awareness week we wanted to share with our local community the very exciting news that Fieldings Porter is supporting Dementia Friends, an Alzheimer’s Society initiative, to help people develop an understanding of dementia and turn it in to action to support clients and employees who are affected by the condition.

The number of people developing dementia is growing and an ageing population means that the number of people in the UK with dementia will continue to rise. The aim is to change people’s perception of dementia by transforming the way people act, think and talk about the condition. Everyday tasks we often take for granted can be daunting for people living with dementia. They can often feel very vulnerable and anxious in public places and so may avoid leaving the house. People suffering from dementia can feel lonely and do not feel part of their community. People with dementia want to carry on their daily lives and feel included in their local community, but sometimes they need a helping hand to do so.

Fieldings Porter are encouraging their staff to become Dementia Friends and find out about the little things they can do to help people affected by dementia. Dementia Friends learn a little bit about what it is like to live with dementia and learn how to help someone who may be experiencing difficulties. They can then put into practice what they have learnt by helping others in their community, either through work or in their day to day lives.

As an organisation we hope that we are able to learn more about living with dementia so that when families need legal assistance we are better prepared to meet their needs at a more hands-on level and not just on a legal level. This includes educating our support staff as well as our more senior staff and the solicitors with whom the community are engaging to carry out their legal work.

There are of course practical things that can be done to make life a little easier for both the sufferer and their family which Fieldings Porter are able to assist with, such as ensuring that as many people as possible have Lasting Powers of Attorney prepared. There are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney, one relating to your finances and one relating to your health and welfare. By preparing these documents you can choose who you want to make decision on your behalf if you are unable to make a decision yourself. Having Lasting Powers of Attorney in place is a little bit like having insurance where you hope you never need to use it but it is there if the worst were to happen, offering you peace of mind. Don’t wait until it is too late to think about your Lasting Power Attorney. Make sure you can choose who you would want to make decisions on your behalf rather than it being decided for you through an application to the court.

If you would like to know more about making Lasting Powers of Attorney and the costs involved please telephone the office to arrange an appointment with one of our solicitors who will talk you through the process and ensure that you get the advice you require.