Carer? Such a little word but one that means so much. When I first took on the role of carer for OH I really had no idea what the role would require. There was no job description handed to me or anyone to detail how the role would develop over time. It has been, and continues to be, trial and error every step of the way. I compare it to being told to swim and then being thrown in the deep end of the pool blindfolded with nobody there to instruct you as you flounder, sink to the bottom and bob up to the surface from time to time. Yes, I do admit I was given a book to read when OH received his diagnosis, but having referred to it occasionally most of what it contains in regard to carer guidance is more idealistic than realistic and not as simple to apply as the book would lead you to believe.
If you take on the role of a teacher, a doctor, a psychiatrist or any other certified responsible duty you study for years to gain all the necessary skills before qualifying and setting off on your career, but to be a carer there is no ongoing instruction and no certificate to proudly display on your wall. My medical knowledge didn`t really stretch much further than putting on a sticking plaster or a bandage, dishing out paracetamol and wiping away a tear.
It is said that love is blind and I believe there is a lot of truth in that. One doesn`t like to see a loved one struggle and suffer, and you naturally react immediately to help and support them without considering all that may follow, and your own physical and mental welfare. Nevertheless, once you do so that is it, you are then officially a carer. It is a 24/7 commitment, no turning your back and walking away after a shift. Yes, carer is a small word certainly, but there is no doubt it carries a huge responsibility.
I was shocked to recently learn that currently there are well over a quarter of a million people with Alzheimers or Dementia and unpaid carers waiting for assessments in the U.K. The sad thing is that even once they have been assessed there is no guarantee of much, if any, support from services. So what do we do? We just keep caring!
If you take on the role of a teacher, a doctor, a psychiatrist or any other certified responsible duty you study for years to gain all the necessary skills before qualifying and setting off on your career, but to be a carer there is no ongoing instruction and no certificate to proudly display on your wall. My medical knowledge didn`t really stretch much further than putting on a sticking plaster or a bandage, dishing out paracetamol and wiping away a tear.
It is said that love is blind and I believe there is a lot of truth in that. One doesn`t like to see a loved one struggle and suffer, and you naturally react immediately to help and support them without considering all that may follow, and your own physical and mental welfare. Nevertheless, once you do so that is it, you are then officially a carer. It is a 24/7 commitment, no turning your back and walking away after a shift. Yes, carer is a small word certainly, but there is no doubt it carries a huge responsibility.
I was shocked to recently learn that currently there are well over a quarter of a million people with Alzheimers or Dementia and unpaid carers waiting for assessments in the U.K. The sad thing is that even once they have been assessed there is no guarantee of much, if any, support from services. So what do we do? We just keep caring!