I can still remember where I said these words and I have to admit at the time I felt pretty rattled, as all the things I did for my daughter I did with love and a desire for her to be happy and find her place in the world.
Now with hindsight, after many more years of experience, I am indeed her mother but I am also her carer. Many people do not realise that the support they give (lovingly) is indeed ‘caring’.
| “Many people do not see themselves as family carers. It normally takes two years for people to recognise themselves as being a carer.”
Caring Together |
|---|
Why is this so important?
- Sometimes people become carers in an instant and sometimes they slide into their caring responsibilities gradually without really realising. Naming things for what they really are often prompts us to take stock and evaluate the situation ….. What works well and what doesn’t and what changes can be made to make something/caring successful in the long term.
- Carers need to invest in their own well-being in order to continue being good carers. Research shows that health outcomes for carers are not as good as the general population – caring has an impact. Caring for yourself is not a luxury but is an essential element of building resilience for someone with long term caring responsibilities.
- There is support and information available from national and local charities, which can be really useful to carers; information about the condition your cared-for is experiencing but also information about being a good carer and the support that is available to you. I didn’t think I’d ever have to know how to turn someone in bed but it was essential when my mum was ill. There is support out there.
- Carer networks exist often through local charities. Finding a peer group, linking into their knowledge and finding support from people who know what you’re dealing with, can be a really positive thing for carers. Sometimes they answer questions you didn’t even know you needed to ask! My local carers charity, ‘Carers in Hertfordshire’ runs training on a wide range of subjects, has meetings for local carers to come together, offers mentorship and advocacy and also provides advice and guidance on a range of subjects.
So, are you a carer?
If you provide regular unpaid help and support to a partner, relative or friend who’s struggling to cope alone, then you’re a carer. (Which May 2021)
The person being cared for may need support due to disability, age, frailty, dementia, physical illness, a mental health condition or addiction.
You may be providing support by doing their shopping, helping them pay their bills, helping with medication or doctor’s visits, with daily personal care or helping them to move around.
| “Often, it takes somebody else to tell us that we are a carer before we recognise ourselves as such.”
Heléna Herklots CBE, Chief Executive of Carers UK |
|---|
The reality is:
- 1 in 8 adults in the UK (around 6.5 million people) are carers.
- Every day another 6,000 people take on a caring responsibility
- That equals over 2 million people become carers each year.