I have a meeting later today, with a local politician as a follow up to a presentation I did at County Hall a few weeks ago.
There is one thing I really want to hammer into the heads of all these professionals - and here it is. Is there anything that you think I should add or take away???
The most basic aspect of being a Carer, is often overlooked by those in Social Services, Local Government, and Medical professions.
All the professional people that a Carer might interact with, are exactly that - professional. They are working in their chosen career, a career they will have spent many years training for, or working in. This career will afford them an appropriate status, salary, holiday leave etc etc. The professionals do their jobs because it is what they actually want to do with their lives. If they do not, then they are in the wrong career.
Carers are not in a job, or career. They are in a 24/7 all encompassing life style, not of their choosing. There is not one Carer in this country that actually WANTS to be doing what they are doing.
They have been thrust, often suddenly, into a strange world that they do not understand. A world which is so diverse as to be totally bewildering. It is a very painful world, because of the situation that requires the person to become a Carer.
By the nature of what they are having to do for a loved one, and the fact that the loved one needs someone to care for them - Carers are actually often sad and unhappy people - often to the point of depression.
There is one thing I really want to hammer into the heads of all these professionals - and here it is. Is there anything that you think I should add or take away???
The most basic aspect of being a Carer, is often overlooked by those in Social Services, Local Government, and Medical professions.
All the professional people that a Carer might interact with, are exactly that - professional. They are working in their chosen career, a career they will have spent many years training for, or working in. This career will afford them an appropriate status, salary, holiday leave etc etc. The professionals do their jobs because it is what they actually want to do with their lives. If they do not, then they are in the wrong career.
Carers are not in a job, or career. They are in a 24/7 all encompassing life style, not of their choosing. There is not one Carer in this country that actually WANTS to be doing what they are doing.
They have been thrust, often suddenly, into a strange world that they do not understand. A world which is so diverse as to be totally bewildering. It is a very painful world, because of the situation that requires the person to become a Carer.
By the nature of what they are having to do for a loved one, and the fact that the loved one needs someone to care for them - Carers are actually often sad and unhappy people - often to the point of depression.