Dementia Friends

Overview Can we help?

The Dementia Friends initiative was launched to tackle the stigma and lack of understanding. Over 2.5 million Dementia Friends have now been created across the UK; each helping to change the way we act, talk and think about dementia.

We are proud to have several active Dementia Friends Champions here at Whitehead Monckton - namely Associate Director Katie Broadfield, Solicitor Bekka Fuszard and Trainee Legal Executive Amy Turner-Ives. They are volunteers for the Alzheimer's Society and trained to offer Dementia Friends Information Sessions to staff and the local community.

Talking about her role as a Champion, Bekka says: ‘I signed up to be a Dementia Friends Champion because I am passionate about dementia awareness and creating a dementia friendly society. My Grandad had dementia and, working in the Tax and Estate Planning Department here, I regularly meet clients who are living with dementia themselves or have loved ones who are. I’m proud to be part of a growing network of people creating dementia friendly communities together.’

If you would like to register an interest in a Dementia Friend Information Session, please contact any of our Champions who would be delighted to hear from you. Please also check our events page for scheduled upcoming sessions.

Dementia Friendly Kent

We are proud to have been recognized as Working to Become Dementia Friendly since 2018. To earn our Dementia Friendly Kent recognition badge, Whitehead Monckton has committed to having a high percentage of staff as Dementia Friends and other several pledges. The firm regularly supports local dementia friendly initiatives and events across Kent and particularly in the Maidstone area where Bekka and Amy, who work in our Tax & Estate Planning Department, are Chair and Secretary of the local dementia friendly community group, ‘Building a Dementia Friendly Maidstone’.

Assisting those living with Dementia with their legal affairs

Dementia is a progressive illness and therefore we recommend anyone with symptoms or a diagnosis of dementia to review their legal affairs, in particular wills and lasting powers of attorney, as soon as possible. In order to execute new legal documents, certain legal capacity tests must be met and a person living with dementia may or may not be able to satisfy these requirements.

Having taken the time to increase their understanding of dementia, our lawyers understand that each individual has their own dementia journey and take the time, often in conjunction with a doctor, to consider each individual’s capacity and support those living with dementia with their legal affairs. If the legal capacity tests cannot be met, we can support loved ones through the process of a deputyship application.

Dementia can lead to confusion and nervousness in unfamiliar locations and our team are happy to visit clients in their home or at hospital if required.