State of Caring Carers UK State of Caring 2017 Report | Page 11

STATE OF CARING REPORT 2017
What does a break mean to you?
We asked carers what having a break
from caring means to them?
“Time to relax, get an undisturbed night’s
sleep and concentrate on my other roles as
wife, mum and granny”
“Just to have a complete day free would be
magical”
“It would allow me time to rest and
recuperate. With my Son needing 100% 24/7
care, I have no time for my own health , care
and social needs, and I can’t even remember
what I enjoy doing. I lost a lot of friends after
his birth and feel incredibly isolated so I do
feel it is important to be able to invest some
time on social relationships. It’s very easy to
lose your identity when you are a full time
carer for someone else and it’s incredibly
easy to fall into depression. Breaks are vital
for you to recharge your batteries and spend
some time on your own needs”
“Lack of respite provision for our daughter is
impacting on our physical and mental health
as well as our marriage”
“To sleep would mean a lot. To relax and not
worry about the timing of food, toilet needs,
medicines and to converse with people not
linked to the health care service. Just to feel
human and an individual again”
“So I can recuperate and then better care
for the disabled person. To look forward to a
break has the same effect as the break itself.
It also allows me to spend time with my
other children who miss out on a lot when I
am caring for their brother along side them. I
believe a break would benefit their wellbeing
as much as mine”
“The world! It may improve my health and
keep me caring. Funding for breaks is now
gone for my local area and I cannot get
them”
“A few days of being able to really spend time
with my husband so we can relax together. A
chance to sleep a few nights without several
interruptions to help Mum, a chance to
actually deal with my own substantial health
needs. A chance to be a person and not an
unpaid servant on literally a 24/7 working
day. I don’t resent caring, but I do resent
having to jump through hoops to get even
a proportion of the rights I would have if in
paid employment”
“Being able to know my mum is in a safe
environment whilst taking some time away
for myself would mean the world to me. I
am unable to help my mother with a lot of
things due to my own mental health, the
cuts to many services have meant we are
alone trying our hardest to help each other
but often very unsuccessfully. We are both
deeply in need of support”
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