November 7, 2018 at 4:36 p.m.
River Valley Bank offers 'dementia friendly' service
River Valley Bank offers 'dementia friendly' service
Memory loss and difficulty managing finances can be an early sign of dementia and some are unaware they may be exhibiting these signs. Therefore, the process of conducting financial transactions can become confusing and frustrating to both customer and employee, the release states.
For one bank employee at River Valley Bank, this issue hit close to the heart.
"My father struggled with his memory loss in public settings," River Valley Bank senior administrative assistant Rhonda Lewis said in the release. "It is critical to assist an individual in maintaining their dignity and individualism where ever possible."
After attending a training session with the Dementia Friendly Middleton Coalition, near Madison, Lewis championed for a company-wide rollout of a dementia program, and River Valley Bank embraced it.
Today, financial specialists, home lenders and Customer Experience Center team members, among others within the company, are trained on dementia friendly practices throughout all 15 River Valley Bank locations in Wisconsin and Michigan. Whether a customer is inquiring in person, on the phone or in an email, the staff on the other end of that inquiry are ready, willing and able to help them.
"River Valley's employees have been educated to recognize situations and use specific communication skills to provide a positive experience and address circumstances with expertise and sensitivity," the release states. "Employees are trained in making good eye contact, speaking slowly and clearly,and having patience when knowingly working with customers showing signs of dementia. The ultimate goal is to help the customer determine how to best manage their finances."
Six warning signs specific to money management
• Lapses in memory causing people to miss appointments, confuse payments of documents, or repeat orders or questions
• Disorganization with documents or record keeping
• Worsening money management skills: forgetting to record transactions in checkbook, or incorrectly filling out registers or checks
• Decline in ability to do basic math computations
• Difficulty grasping financial concepts that were previously understood
• Poor judgement with finances such as drastic changes in investment strategy or interest in get-rich-quick schemes.
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