My name's Martyn.
I was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 57.
I spent 17 years in the military
and, prior to diagnosis, working for the civil service.
I'm not in a position now where I can grow
and so I can't grow my finances, so
I'm relying on what I've built up over the years
and that worries me.
After a dementia diagnosis,
you might find at some point you have to reduce your working hours,
change roles or stop working altogether.
Managing your money can become more difficult,
especially if you haven't reached state pension age yet.
There are things you can do to help.
Initially, I was shocked, it took me probably about twelve months
to decipher everything that was going on.
I was just forgetting how to do normal daily stuff at work.
It's a good idea to find out how much money you have in any pension pots.
You can also find out whether you can start claiming them
and how much you can get each month.
This will help you know how
much money you and your family will be living on day to day.
A state pension is paid by the government to people who reach state pension age.
You may also have a workplace pension that you and your employers
have contributed to during your working life
or a private pension that you started yourself.
You can have more than one type of pension.
Get more information from your current and previous
employers and financial advisers.
I was fortunate that
I had a military pension
and a Civil Service pension.
I thought it was nice to take a big lump sum.
But then once you've taken the lump sum, you have a smaller amount each month.
And so what I did was I decided to take
the higher regular income, which is what I live on now.
Some people with dementia are entitled to receive benefits.
For example, the government provides benefits
to help people on low incomes, people who have needs because of a disability
which could be due to dementia, or people who are caring for someone.
The benefits system is quite complex, so it's usually best
to get a benefits check from someone who specialises in benefits.
Check if you have any relevant insurance policies, such as critical illness cover,
this might mean you receive a lump sum
if you have to give up work for medical reasons.
Depending on your finances, you might also be entitled to
financial support from your local council with the cost of any care,
equipment or adaptations you might need, and a council tax reduction.
I qualified for ESA (Employment Support Allowance) because I'm no longer working.
They have worked out that you will need this amount of money to live on
and PIP (Personal Independence Payment).
It subsidises some of my living
in respect of travelling and any home needs that I may need.
My worry about the future is
once I come off ESA
and go onto my pension in three years time,
my income will get less, but my outgoings will still be more.
You might want to discuss your finances with an independent financial adviser
or someone you trust, such as a family member or friend.
Call Alzheimer's Society for support.
Our dementia advisors are here to guide you.
You have to adapt.
I would definitely seek help at the earliest opportunity
and get someone to talk you through it right up as far as they can.
Alzheimer's lives with me, I don't live with Alzheimer's.
I can sit here and ponder and be so sad about it.
I don't want to be sad about it because I can't change it.
There's no cure for it. So what can I do?
I can make it better.
I can make my life better.