Bridge McFarland Solicitors have selected ‘Lincoln Dementia Action Alliance’ to be one of their Charities of the year, along with Abbie’s Fund and Epilepsy Research UK. They have an exciting programme of fundraising events lined up for the next twelve months offices including a charity ball and a schools-orientated poetry competition.

Paul Herniman, Chair of the Lincoln Dementia Action Alliance, said: “Lincoln Dementia Action Alliance is delighted to welcome Bridge McFarland as one of our new supporters. Lincoln DAA is made up of firms in the business sector as well as voluntary and charity groups, local authorities, the NHS, and other Lincoln based organisations.

Dementia is a condition affecting increasing numbers of people throughout the country. The Dementia Action Alliance is a network of national and local organisations working together to share best practice and take action to make every community dementia friendly by being more aware of the needs of people with the condition. Everything we do is in partnership, and informed by people living with dementia, and those that care for them”.

There are over 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, and this number is expected to rise up to 1 million in the next four years. Dementia is a term used to describe symptoms often including memory loss, difficulty with thinking and problem solving or language. Dementia means that you have damage to the brain function; the most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, though it can also be caused by strokes and long-term alcohol abuse.

Each individual will experience dementia differently, but often the first signs of a condition developing are:
1. Disorientation: you might be driving to work on the same route you have taken for forty years and all of a sudden you aren’t sure which way to go.
2. Memory: While you remember the big things, you find yourself struggling to remember little things, like what you had for breakfast.
3. Language: You might struggle to find the right word, it’s there in your mind but the link feels broken, you might struggle to follow what is happening in a conversation
4. Perception: All of a sudden you are really struggling to judge distances or see things as 3D, you might find yourself stumbling on the stairs as you try to focus on placing your feet.

Caroline Strathon who works in the Private Client department at Bridge McFarland has been named a ‘Dementia Friend’ following a training course and she hopes to see more organisations working towards becoming accredited as ‘Dementia Friendly’.

“So many people are affected by dementia, either directly or through their networks of close friends and family, the figure given by the Dementia Action Alliance was 1 in 4.

“ I think that is a barrier that needs to be broken down. It is so important for everyone affected that we are having these conversations and being open about what we as a community can do to help people with dementia feel valued and supported.”

Bridge McFarland are delighted to be able to support such a worthwhile cause and look forward to working closely with the Lincoln branch of the Dementia Action Alliance over the next year.