People say how hard it is to be a carer, “it’s a tough job some say”, “your isolated”, “your career is on hold”, “you have no future prospects” and “you tend to be ‘skint’ all the time”.

Social workers and councils strive to access services for people so that carers can have breaks and the people they care for can be included in the community.

You hear about governments initiating and integrating services so that people can be cared for in the community and still remain healthy, active and included.

This blog is about all that.

Having been a carer for three years now I know full well the difficulties and the hardships we as carers face.

The person I care for has advanced Alzheimer’s and although she says words she cannot normally construct a coherent sentence.Throughout my three years of caring for my mum, the good times have been when she has answered a question that I have asked her and it corresponds with what i have asked or when I hear her laugh or on the days that she looks health and happy. The bad times and the times when I have felt stressed, isolated and even depressed (on a certain level) have been when budget cuts and failed services have negatively impacted on my mum’s health, inclusion and mental state.

The reason I have decided to write a blog is to  document my life on a day-to-day basis as a carer. Highlighting ‘real time’ and ‘real life’ issues that a carer faces. Instead of talking about it, it will be there in black and white. Then maybe policies created by the government to integrate services so that people can be cared for in the community and still remain healthy, active and included will reflect real life issues instead of skimming the surface and at time debilitating both carers and the cared for.

The content of this blog will outline my day-to-day life as a carer. It will also outline my perceptions of conversations and communications with people. It will highlight my thoughts, feelings and emotions during these processes.