As part of my legal work I quite often have to go into people’s homes when they’ve been taken into hospital or into a care home.

I nearly always find lists, shopping lists, to do lists, scripts for phone calls they need to make, things they need to remember.

Recently I was called by the local hospital as one of our clients had been admitted following a nasty fall. He was badly bruised and shaken up and was unable to tell them anything about himself. I asked him if he would like me to help him and he gave me his house keys.

I found the usual lists but this one will stay with me forever. A reminder to “check memory”. He had been trying to cope for so long with a failing memory. Lists upon lists, afraid to throw away anything in case it was needed, receipts, old bills, piles and piles of papers each one starting a “fresh” filing system.

It was heart breaking to see how he had been living. This is why I started Enable, so that people don’t have to live with the fear and confusion. To make lives better, to be a friendly voice, to Enable, the word sums it up so well.