Are you a carer?
A carer is anybody from the age of five years old that provides care and support to another person who could not otherwise manage without it; this could be as a parent or grandparent, a child, a neighbour, a sibling or a friend. The care and support provided could be due to:
- Illness
- Disability
- Mental ill-health
- Substance misuse
- Frailty
It is sometimes difficult to identify with the term ‘carer’ because you may see your caring role as a natural part of your relationship with the person. You could be very involved with maintaining your loved one’s day-to-day life, or you could be providing them with occasional telephone support during times of crisis. There are no judgements made on your availability to provide care or your willingness to do so, and this does not affect your rights to access support as a carer.
Recognising your emotions
While caring for someone can be rewarding, there may be times when you find yourself dealing with difficult and stressful situations. You may not have to carry out any physical tasks, such as personal care or lifting, however the support you provide can still be emotionally and psychologically demanding.
There is the added unpredictability of caring for someone living with mental ill-health – for example, never knowing when a crisis situation may arise and how you are supposed to act when it does. It can also be difficult to cope with behaviours that can be challenging or difficult to manage at times, particularly if the person you care for doesn’t recognise that they need help.
You may feel that you are alone and that no-one can help. You may have feelings of confusion, guilt, loss, frustration and anger, and we would like to reassure you that these emotions are completely normal.
Supporting you
EPUT’s dedicated Carer Support Service gives carers an opportunity to talk about their caring role and responsibilities. This is called a carers assessment. We can also provide details of the many local carers’ groups, helplines and mental health organisations that can provide further information and support to carers.
For more information regarding the carers assessment here.
If you are interested in having a carers assessment, please ask for a referral from the team or the member of staff that is working with the person you are caring for.