“I’m proud when people feel they can turn to me”

VIVIANV BECK, 57, LIVES IN C CAMBRIDGE W WITH HER HUSBAND

A AND WORKS AS A DEMENTIA A ADVISER.

“I HAD WORKED INI MARKETINGK TI AND D PUBLISHING,BLI BUT WHEN I TURNED 40 I FELT I NEEDED A JOB THAT ALLOWED ME TO HELP PEOPLE. SIX YEARS AGO, I GOT THE ROLE AS DEMENTIA ADVISER WITH ALZHEIMER’S SOCIETY. MY FATHER-INLAW, WHO HAD ALZHEIMER’S, SADLY PASSED AWAY JUST AFTER MY INTERVIEW.

MY ROLE INVOLVES VISITING PEOPLE AT HOME AND HELPING THEM AND THEIR FAMILY TO UNDERSTAND THE CONDITION AND FIND A WAY TO CONTINUE LIVING A NORMAL LIFE.

VISITS USUALLY START WITH GETTING TO KNOW THE PERSON, TALKING ABOUT PRACTICAL THINGS, LIKE POWER OF ATTORNEY, AND TRYING TO MAKE EVERYTHING SOUND LESS SCARY. IF THEY TELL ME THEY ENJOY SINGING, WHICH IS GOOD FOR THE BRAIN, I WOULD FIND A CHOIR.

SOME PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY ASK ME TO STAY IN TOUCH AFTER MY FIRST VISIT. ONE OF THESE IS 78-YEAR-OLD PATTY. SHE IS VERY INDEPENDENT AND USED TO BE A MIDWIFE.

WHEN WE FIRST MET, PATTY DIDN’T NEED MUCH HELP. OVER TIME, SHE HAS HAD TO ACCEPT MORE SUPPORT. RECENTLY, I ADVISED SHE MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTAIN TYPE OF BENEFIT AND A COUNCIL TAX DISCOUNT.

PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW THERE’S SOMEONE THEY CAN CALL WHO UNDERSTANDS THEM, AND I AM PROUD TO BE THIS PERSON.”