I am medically diagnosed with cognitive decline and early onset dementia and have professional training in NLP, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and psychology. On 13 January 2026, I encountered Helena Nazir at Places for People—her conduct and communication left me deeply distressed.Shortly after 9 a.m., I saw Helena in the corridor with another person. She smiled and said “good morning” but did not introduce herself. Later, she returned to the garden, now unsmiling, and without any introduction, announced a new policy: dogs would no longer be allowed in the garden or to relieve themselves there. I explained previous managers had not raised this issue and that my brother, my registered carer, had instructed me not to take Rusty outside the building alone for safety reasons. Despite this, Helena insisted I walk the dog outside. When I asked, “So you’re telling someone with dementia to take the dog out and walk him?” she replied curtly, “yes,” and left. Her manner was cold and dismissive.After returning Rusty to my flat, I went to the office to seek clarification. Helena would not give her job title, only that she was temporary. I showed my disability card and lanyard, explained my vulnerable status, and she said she would speak to her managers, but later stated, “No exception could be made for one person.” When I brought up being told pets were allowed before signing the tenancy, she said having a dog was “only at our discretion.” She referenced complaints but provided no details, even when I asked. She further suggested I walk Rusty outside, and when I reiterated my brother’s instructions, said, “If this is an issue, the dog would have to go.” I experienced this as an ultimatum and found it highly inappropriate—especially given my legal need for reasonable adjustments.What troubled me most was that, despite being aware of my diagnosis and safety requirements, Helena repeatedly encouraged me to put myself at risk rather than offer support. My friend, who later enquired about the policy, was also met with a dismissive response and was not provided a copy or link to any policy. We later found no pet policy on the company’s website, and the tenancy agreement says nothing about pets, garden use, or resident responsibilities.Helena’s communication was rigid, inflexible, and left no room for discussion or reasonable accommodation. Nonverbal cues, such as lack of eye contact and closed body language, added to the sense of detachment. As a specialist in communication and psychology, I know this approach can be psychologically damaging for vulnerable residents.In summary, my experience with Places for People was appalling. There was no empathy, dreadful communication, and a refusal to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled resident, despite clear legal obligations. I am reporting this under the Equality Act and hope sharing this prompts real change.
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