By Donna Smy and Jessica Beackon, Palmers Solicitors

September is World Alzheimer's Month, so we’re encouraging all of those living with Alzheimer's, and their families, friends and loved ones, to sit down and have those challenging, but essential, conversations.

How are we achieving this? We make sure to consider clients with Alzheimer’s or otherwise diminished or dynamic capacity across all our estate planning, Wills and probate services, as well as carrying out charity and community work for Alzheimer’s organisations.  

By opening up these conversations within our firm, we’re able to encourage clients and their families to do so without stigma.

Becoming Dementia Friends

Several members of our team have taken the step this year to become Dementia Friends, including Jessica Beackon and Callie Bowering!

 This is a very simple step but a meaningful one – providing an individual the opportunity to learn about dementia and create dementia-friendly spaces within their community.

Our wonderful Dementia Friends within our Private Client team work across the department to make sure that our services and approach are accessible to those with dementia, Alzheimer's and other conditions that affect capacity.

Client advice and support

Our Private Client team have advised many people with Alzheimer's and their loved ones, from Will writing to estate administration.

As many members of our team are Dementia Friends, we understand that an Alzheimer's diagnosis can be extremely challenging – made far more difficult if the person doesn’t have a Will or Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) in place beforehand.

These legal documents allow individuals to decide ahead of time how they want to divide their estate, how they want to be cared for and how they want their finances and property to be managed on their behalf.

Getting these items in place as soon as possible can help to reduce stress in this difficult situation, particularly as capacity diminishes as Alzheimer’s progresses.

This can subject Wills and LPAs to disputes if the individual may have lacked capacity when putting these things in place – which may risk the person’s wishes not being carried out.

By encouraging families to discuss these more difficult aspects of legal protection following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, we’re ensuring that each person has as much agency in their decision-making as possible.

Supporting Alzheimer’s awareness

As a team, we’ve been getting behind the Alzheimer’s Society this year to support Dementia Action Week in May, as well as raising awareness of the condition and support available to those living with it.

Led by our fantastic colleague Ivana Sidey, we took action against ‘the cost of dementia’ with a successful charity raffle that raised over £2,100 for the charity.

Plenty of amazing local businesses supported the event with donated prizes, including Richard Luckin Chartered Accountants, Rowland Hall, Matthew Douglas Ltd and Sandra Connington HR.

It was an outstanding experience for everyone involved, demonstrating how the whole community can come together and offer support where it’s most needed.

We were proud to be able to take the opportunity to do our bit for those affected by Alzheimer’s disease outside of the office!

For more information on how we’re supporting those with Alzheimer's and their loved ones, please visit www.palmerslaw.co.uk