Today is the Insurance Day for Dementia.
Each year, the UK insurance industry galvanises support across the realms of advice, brokerage, insurance and reassurance to help raise funds for Alzheimer's Society's vital research into the causes of, and cures for, dementia.
The initiative is led by Insurance United Against Dementia, championed by industry stalwarts such as Zurich's Peter Hamilton, who is also the government's disability and inclusion ambassador for the insurance industry.
FT Adviser was privileged to speak with IUAD board member Rose St Louis and with Dr Richard Oakley of the Alzheimer's Society.
In a recent podcast with FT Adviser, St Louis, who is also the protection director at Lloyds Banking Group, spoke openly and movingly about her own family's experience of dementia, after her mother was diagnosed with it.
She told of how it can rob people of their personalities and families of their loved ones even while the individual is still alive.
Caring costs can mount up and there can be enormous mental, physical, emotional, spiritual and financial strain put on families and those caring for dementia sufferers.
Yet in that same podcast, Dr Oakley told us of wonderful breakthroughs following decades of research into specific proteins, and the possibility of these treatments becoming available through the NHS.
But more needs to be done. As Yvonne Braun, director, long-term savings policy at the Association of British Insurers told FT Adviser on that same podcast, without support from the industry, developments such as these will take longer.
Moreover, she called for a greater and deeper understanding of dementia, urging member organisations to think about how they deliver training to staff when it comes to customers who may be vulnerable and families who are going through the difficult decisions that come with a diagnosis,
She also urged advisers to start having important conversations with clients now, about wills and powers of attorney and making sure that clients have their family's finances in order.
Talking about dementia is not easy - and nor is treating it. At the moment it is all about mitigating the symptoms as long as possible. But as Dr Freeman told FT Adviser, in years to come, people will look back at this point in history, and say "this is when everything changed for dementia".
To help make this happen, you can still get involved. Visit the Insurance United Against Dementia page to find out more.
You can raise money yourself through running or cycling home tonight, or having a pot luck or a cake bake.
Today, as you read this, staff at the Financial Times will be chowing down on cakes bought and made by members of FT Adviser and our wider division, FT Specialist, in our small effort to help raise money for the Insurance Day for Dementia.
We also have our own Just Giving page, to which many readers have already donated (thank you!)
Good luck with your fundraising.
