Customers with Dementia: Here’s How We Support You
Are you living with Dementia? Or perhaps someone close to you finds everyday tasks more challenging due to the condition.
To ensure we’re better equipped to support our customers, key members of our team have undertaken specific training to understand more about people who are living with Dementia and the challenges they face. We also wanted to see how – as individuals and a business – could better support those customers. Read on…
Why We’re Dementia-Friendly
People with Dementia face myriad challenges daily. We didn’t want money management to be one of them. Or, at the very least, we wanted to do our best to ensure that managing money is much easier for our customers with the condition.
“It’s the least we could do”, says Abi Jones, Unity Mutual’s Head of Marketing and Sales.
Abi signed up to become a ‘Dementia Friend’ and she’s more than glad she did. By undertaking the training, she says she is far better equipped to communicate with customers. “I’m so glad I signed up to be a Dementia Friend; the training has been really insightful and valuable, and it’s opened my eyes to the condition in general.”
Why Do Our Customers Require Extra Support
While we want to help our customers become as financially independent as they can, we’re also aware that they may face some obstacles when it comes to confidently managing their funds.
Common symptoms of Dementia, as outlined on Alzheimer’s Society, include confusion, problems with language and understanding (including often being unable to find the right word), or having trouble following a conversation.
People with Dementia may also display changes in behaviour; they may become unusually anxious or irritable, for example.
In a lot of cases, family and friends may spot these changes, but rest assured that, thanks to our training, we are able to notice such changes and can support our customers accordingly.
Helping Our Customers Manage their Finances Independently
“With the right support, we know that it’s possible for our customers to enjoy a good quality of life”, says Abi.
“We also want to help support the families of those living with Dementia.” she continues. “By doing our bit to help people with Dementia, we feel we might also be inadvertently supporting those close to them.”
Abi says that people living with Dementia may want to manage their finances independently.
“That’s understandable – and we want to reassure relatives that we are keen to make our customers’ lives easier, where managing their finances are concerned. To that end, we have undergone tailored We know how best to communicate with people who may need extra support, and we also spend longer on phone calls, if required, to ensure we have answered all the questions our customers may have.”
Seeking Dementia-Friendly Support Elsewhere
It may be hard to know where to look when it comes to seeking support, states Abi, but we’re keen to help those who require extra assistance find the information they’re looking for.
For instance, Alzheimer’s Society has plenty of dementia-friendly resources available for download, as well as a host of articles relating to money (linked below).
Read, for example, this article on benefits, this piece on obtaining travel insurance while waiting for a Dementia diagnosis, and this guide, which focuses on how those on a low income can seek extra help.
Until next time…
PS: Did you know that our own colleague, Donna Rogers, recently scaled Ben Nevis in aid of The Alzheimer’s Society?
It’s all part of our team’s ongoing commitment to raise awareness of the condition. Read how Donna fared during her charity challenge here on the Knowledge Hub of our site, and find out just how much money she raised for this important organisation.
