This week is National Carers Week. There are almost 6 million carers here in the UK. That's a staggering amount. Here's some more facts and figures for you:
* One in ten adults in the UK is a carer
* 3 million people juggle work with caring responsibilities for a disabled, ill or frail relative or friend.
* The main carers benefit - Carers Allowance is £50.55 for a minimum of 35 hours, equivalent to £1.34 per hour.
* People providing high levels of care are twice as likely to be permanently sick or disabled.
* Every year 2 million people take on new caring responsibilities.
* 1.25 million people provide over 50 hours a week on their caring responsibilities.
* 58% of carers are women, 42% are men
* 1.3 million carers are over the age of 65
* The value of carer’s contribution to the nation is £87 billion each year, yet the decision to care can mean a commitment to future poverty. Many give up an income, future employment prospects and pension rights to become a carer.
So why is this of so much interest to me? Because for nearly 4 years
after my mum died I became the main carer for my lovely dad, who was registered disabled and had Non Hodgkinsons Lymphoma, as well as other complications such as deafness, kidney failure and diabetes. I made a choice to give up my Management position to become self employed, so that I could have the flexibility to care for my dad.
I didn't claim Carers Allowance until the last few months of my dads’ life. It paid for my petrol to and from dads, and it wasnt the highest amount. My brother and I coped really well with my dads increasing care, and the main responsibility was down to me. I ran his home, his finances and his life. I organised his hospital visits, which were many, and took him there myself. I ensured that he took his medication, which was like running a pharmacy at home, and that he had his prescriptions kept up to date. I cooked, I cleaned until the last year when I found that I was running out of hours and days and dad’s personal care was more important than me doing the cleaning. We employed a family friend to come and help with the housework and ironing, which was a godsend.
I’m telling you my story as just an example of what caring can mean for both the carer and the person being cared for. I know of others who have done exactly the same thing. It’s often a very hard thing to do, to care for someone you love dearly. You often have to discuss things that you normally wouldn't with a relative or a parent. As a youth you are told about working, family life etc, but no one prepares you that one day you may have to parent your parents. And for me that was the hardest thing.
I wouldn't change one single moment of my caring for my dad, we were close, but grew a lot closer during those precious last years together. Looking back I wished that there had been some local support group for carers, somewhere to go to talk to people in the same situation. Apart from one occasion I always kept a happy stress free face for my dad, but once I got home I was exhausted. Not just from the physical side of things, but the emotional too.
I was blessed to be able to do this for my dad, I really believe that. And if I had been married, had a family, I wouldn't have been able to have spent so much time with him.
So, if you are a carer, or you know of a carer, please just give a little time to think about what your needs are, what their needs are. A kind word and a hug goes a long way. My dad was always grateful for what I did for him, but that's not why I did it. Carers do it out of love.
x x x
No comments:
Post a Comment