Connect with other carers: carersuk.org/forum
C
aring for older,
seriously ill or
disabled loved ones
is something we tend to do
out of love and compassion.
It can feel completely
natural and therefore
unnoticed – simply doing
what a parent, child,
partner, friend does when
someone close to us needs
our care.
So natural that we often
don’t notice that we’re
doing it, until the intensity
of the role increases and we
reach some kind of crisis.
Noticing and accepting that
we’re a carer – that what
we’re doing is a specific role
that’s worthy of recognition
– is the first step towards
the support that can keep us
going.
And we need our social
systems to acknowledge
that we’re a carer and that
what we’re doing is worthy
of recognition and support.
Marie’s story...
We need others to
recognise the value of
what we bring not just to
our friends or families and
communities but to society
as a whole.
Without that recognition,
we don’t get what we need
to enable us to carry on in
our vital role.
Whether that’s sufficient
income to look after loved
ones and live our own lives,
the opportunity to combine
work and care, or respect
from health services and
involvement in relevant
decision making.
As Marie’s story shows,
we all have a role to play
not only in recognising
ourselves as carers but
battling together for
greater understanding in
our society.
I’ve just turned 50 and
I’ve been caring for more
than 30 years. For the first
20 years, I didn’t even know
what a carer was, let alone
that I was one. I care for
my husband, Colin, who has
poorly controlled epilepsy
which causes him to have
multiple seizures a day. As
his health has deteriorated
my caring role has increased
over time.
The first 20 years were
very difficult. I had two
young children and very
little support. I was working
part-time as a community
support worker and my
husband was working as
a computer programmer.
He was seizing four or five
times a night and then
getting up and going to
work. We went from day
to day, working around the
seizures and the hospital
appointments.
“The first 20 years
were very difficult.
I had two young
children and very
little support”
@carersuk
/carersuk
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