HAVE A GOOD ONE - Carers Week

[Penny]

Well to celebrate Carers Week I'm about to phone our Social worker's Manager (again) and have another go at her. Social Services are giving us NO help whatsoever. I want to get Direct payments for daughter so I can sort things out myself for her. She is isolated, lonely, needs stimulation etc etc and they don't seem to think she is eligible for it.

The last time I had a carers assessment was 2006. I spoke to the Manager and she says because my DDs Social worker was on holiday she can't access records. That is surely a load of bull. I just can't believe this in 2010!

In addition to my DD (I get Carers Allowance) I also run my elderly Mum around, listen to her worries, visit the graveyard, do her shopping, take her to hospital appointments & hairdressers and do odd jobs. I also take both of them away for a mid-week break every so often .... but TBH it's not a break for me.

I had TV on this morning and they were talking about Carers Week and I feel they're talking about other people - certainly not me.

I truly am at breaking point. I have a black eye, 2 cut knees, bruised hands and toes, a gashed forehead and a very painful neck. This is the result of running around as a carer and falling over in my haste. I quite literally do not have a minute to myself and I try to be in too many places at once.

[Nilla]

Penny I can sympathise with the bruises, I rush about and am always banging into things, tripping over etc sometimes I am a danger to myself!

[susieq]

Hi to you both,

Just wanted to say I saw the write up and you and your Mum's picture in the Mature Times.I thought to myself I know them two from somewhere.
Hope you have a nice week and maybe a little me time.Take care Love Sonia xxx

If anyone is interested here is the link to the piece that I did for The Mature Times for this year's Carers Week theme of 'A Life of My Own'

http://www.maturetimes.co.uk/node/10599

[Nilla]

I enjoyed reading that Susie I could see myself in many things you wrote x

[Guest]

Brilliant, susie, it is hard to provide a proper insight and get the message across in so few words and you did it, well done !

[Matt Hill]

If anyone is interested here is the link to the piece that I did for The Mature Times for this year's Carers Week theme of 'A Life of My Own'
http://www.maturetimes.co.uk/node/10599

Great bit of writing - here's my favourite bit

I found Carers UK in 2008 through my Mother’s GP and am so glad that I joined up. Everyone on the message boards is so supportive; they all know what it’s like and I can say what I like without feeling that I am being found wanting in some way because I don’t like the life I am being forced to lead.

They have made me realise that I have nothing to feel guilty about; that I am doing the best for my Mum. It’s like having an extended family sitting in the background. When a ’black mood’ descends it’s somewhere I can go to shout, scream, cry in the company of people who really understand what I am going through. And these are people whom I am likely to never actually meet, but whom I am honoured to call true friends. Without their support I’m not sure that I could have got through the last six months let alone the last couple of years.

[Maxi]

with EVENTS,The budget,etc etc,Carers week might seem just overshadowed.Hope not.
BUT there are so many things to think about right now is Carers week so high up the agenda?.Hope it is.

[Pete the Paint]

Susieq, that was a brilliant write up. You touched on everything spot on!

Well done!!

Pete

[Penny]

I have a terrible confession to make. I posted this yesterday .........
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Well to celebrate Carers Week I'm about to phone our Social worker's Manager (again) and have another go at her. Social Services are giving us NO help whatsoever. I want to get Direct payments for daughter so I can sort things out myself for her. She is isolated, lonely, needs stimulation etc etc and they don't seem to think she is eligible for it.

The last time I had a carers assessment was 2006. I spoke to the Manager and she says because my DDs Social worker was on holiday she can't access records. That is surely a load of bull. I just can't believe this in 2010!

In addition to my DD (I get Carers Allowance) I also run my elderly Mum around, listen to her worries, visit the graveyard, do her shopping, take her to hospital appointments & hairdressers and do odd jobs. I also take both of them away for a mid-week break every so often .... but TBH it's not a break for me.

I had TV on this morning and they were talking about Carers Week and I feel they're talking about other people - certainly not me.

I truly am at breaking point. I have a black eye, 2 cut knees, bruised hands and toes, a gashed forehead and a very painful neck. This is the result of running around as a carer and falling over in my haste. I quite literally do not have a minute to myself and I try to be in too many places at once.

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I made that call and now I wish I'd left it longer because to my eternal shame I was VERY rude to the SW and called her every name under the sun and ended up bawling my eyes out.

She was telling me she'd pop a letter in the post and I got so angry because she could have done this weeks and weeks ago when I first spoke to her. I also told her I'd had over 20 years of it and was fed up sorting stuff out and that SS were no help at all to us. There were lots of expletives splattered in there too.

Afterwards I was still crying when DH found me and then he handed me a leaflet about Head Injuries which the hospital gave him which warned about dizziness, bad temper, irritability, mood swings etc etc. I was taken to hospital at the weekend following my fall and I ache all over.

[marie66]

Good for you susie!