Testimonies

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Carer Watch.com / Testimonies / Mental Health / I dont want to be called a carer because it suits the government

Name	Your Story
R	# Posted: 10 Feb 2008 13:57 Reply I have a huge issue with being called a carer by the government, but because I am fully employed they do not want to pay me. If they understood mental health at all then they would realise that I juggle support for my family around my career and what a toll that takes on my health. call me what I am, a daughter and a sister first an foremost, and if you want to call me a carer then pay me a decent living wage so I can give up my fulltime job and look after my relatives, otherwise DONT CALL ME A CARER TO SUIT YOURSELVES
Anonymous	# Posted: 10 Feb 2008 15:06 Reply Hi R Welcome, and well said. As it is your a Carer when it suits them, until it comes to recognising you in terms of financial support and in support services. Thank you for raising this point, you can be certain that many other relatives are in the same position. We hope more will come and post here about their opinions and difficulties so do please pass the website address onto anyone you know. Cheryl
Gerty	# Posted: 29 Feb 2008 04:27 Reply I am also working and although I love my job it causes a great deal of problems. My caree is not in my local area so I travel a lot and its costs a lots and means I have little or no free time to myself. Local authorities dont want to know when you go over county lines so no help there and carers services seem to be set up for people who dont work or those who have mental health issues that dont involve regular and often dramatic forced admisssions to hospital. I dont feel my colleagues appreciate or understand my situation and I actually work in health system. My caree is surrounded by non working people so our interactions are actualy strained by the life I lead being completely opposite to the life that my caree and all the social network they have leads - due to the nature of their illness, medications and level of income. I would happily stop work for an average wage to support more my caree and I would bet my life on the improvement it would bring and reduction in admissions to hospital etc but I need to work for my own mental health and would love to do part time but all th is would affect caree's benefits so cant do it. Catch 22.
Jen	# Posted: 7 Mar 2009 06:20 Reply Being called a 'carer' feels odd to me. I feel as if I 'endure' my son's needs. I struggle to get anyone to meet his needs and to support him, because I exist. I am away working for long hours, so he fends for himself. He doesn't eat well or care for his hygiene when I am there or not. The scary thing is I could be prosecuted for neglect as my son can possibly be termed a vulnerable adult. However, the local mental health trust don't think he meets their eligibility criteria! A Social Woker wrote on a review document when closing a case which she didn't feel my son was eligible for wrote: 'When N leaves home, he will need support with his self care and finances.' Why not NOW when under my roof?!!! What a crazy situation.

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