Over 60 Staff Become Dementia Friends

More than 60 Sheffield contact centre workers at law firm Irwin Mitchell’s Sheffield office received specialist Dementia Friends training this week on how to handle calls from people with the condition.

As part of the firm’s work regarding National Inclusion Week, which is running from the 25th September to the 1st October, and to coincide with World Alzheimer’s Day on the 21st September, 63 members at Irwin Mitchell’s Sheffield-based contact centre received Dementia Friends training. 

Ben Saunders, a solicitor in Irwin Mitchell’s Tax, Trusts and Estates team led the seminar which focused on changing people’s perceptions of dementia and how each staff member at Irwin Mitchell can support those living with the condition. Ben is authorised to provide the training after becoming qualified through the Alzheimer’s Society’s official Dementia Friends programme.

Irwin Mitchell aims to be the UK’s most dementia friendly law firm, having held sessions across several offices for more than 420 lawyers in May.

Callum French received the training during the latest sessions, he said: “It was really eye-opening to see what life might be like for those with dementia and served as an excellent reminder to be as understanding as possible. 

“As a leading law firm, it’s likely that our call centre handles enquiries from either people living with dementia or those calling on their behalf on a daily basis. The training will help us to tailor our approach to be caring and accommodating.”

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“It was great to further extend the reach of our Dementia Friend training to Irwin Mitchell’s contact centre, which as the front-line of enquiries coming through has one of the most client-facing roles in the entire firm.

“Many of our clients can be elderly and vulnerable and it is important that as a firm we know how to ensure they are properly protected and looked after as either they or their family and friends seek legal advice.

“Being a caring firm that is understanding of all situations is at the core of what we do, and this training session further reinforces our commitment to both becoming a Dementia Champion as well as to our firm’s ethos.” Ben Saunders - Solicitor