looking after ourselves

Replies

By michaelee

Re: looking after ourselves
Sat 16 Feb 2008 11:55

A very good question Tricia. Perhaps if we have any spare time try to participate in something that we find theraputic. That might be reading, listening to music or talking things over with a friend. Trying to get some respite care might be one way of recharging our batteries and giveing us some "me" time to pursue the above....

By angelica

Re: looking after ourselves
Sat 16 Feb 2008 13:21

Went to bed last night determined to start looking after myself better. It's been a tough year and I've turned to sugar and caffeine for comfort and I think the caffeine's making my sleep patterns even worse than they usually are. So I decided that today I would have porridge for breakfast, eat some fruit, have some lentil soup for lunch and cut back on the caffeine and sweet stuff.
By 6.30 am this morning, after another broken night's sleep, I had eaten five chocolate brazil nuts and had drunk two very strong cups of coffee and was sitting in front of some or other rubbish on TV instead of going back to bed with a book and cup of weak tea which would ultimately I'm sure have made me feel better. Why?????
I guess you have to feel positive to stop yourself going for the immediate comfort and to think what's better in the long term and you have to think more long term to be positive. Which is a bit of a catch 22.
Anyway tomorrow I'm going to have porridge for breakfast.....

Angel

By loopy

Re: looking after ourselves
Sat 16 Feb 2008 13:28

eat chocolate, scream, rant , rave have a good cry, invite the girls round for a drink!!

By loopy

Re: looking after ourselves
Sat 16 Feb 2008 13:30

particularly bad small hours of the morning today. daughter decided to scream at full pitch, punch herself in the mouth thus cutting her lip, pull her hair, scratch her face and bite herself. has not been that bad for a while now.

By morello

Re: looking after ourselves
Sun 17 Feb 2008 17:16

No sleep, no money until Wednesday, massive heating bill etc etc you have a great sense of humour Tricia, I will give you that accolade. On the bright side, God helps those who help themselves, although not quite sure in which sense to apply that. Do I rob a bank, maybe a bit too ambitious. No energy anyway, so thats out. Turn my heating off for the next few months , on the down side of course the police may end up investigating the finding of a couple of corpses. Not too good there then. Could sleep for the UK but the chances of being allowed that luxury has just flown out of the window, so hey give us a clue somebody.
Never mind I am sure I will think of something during my dead of night shift when all sane people sleep and I am cleaning the bathroom for the *** time today. Or washing or trying to calm a person intent on hurting me and themselves. The list is endless. Still I have my nice fat wage of a Carers Allowance coming into my bank account next week with my also reduced Income Support (overlapping Benefits) again. I know I will stand as an mp in the next nearest byelection, get in, then I can claim lots of lovely free expenses to run my car, heat my home and feed too. Plus a wage on top of that. How do they justify that do tell me,thats if an mp is looking in on any of these discussions--doubtful.
Take care all
Mo

By ValerieN

Re: looking after ourselves
Sun 17 Feb 2008 21:25

You probably know this but every year money is allocated by the government to charities like the PRTC to give to US. I have only received anything once a couple of years back but it was £100.00. The only thing they ask is that the money is spent on yourself and they get the receipts. Its worth contacting your local PRTC centre because they will be allocting money again in April and it will be first come basis. There are a lot of carers out there who get this money every year, so go for it. I know its like charity but its also money and its the governments way of feeling good about itself...."look what we have given them this year". Also the carers centre may also have people available to give you a massage or something. They may even be able to provide a few hours respite care so that you can go spend the money they have given you. If all else fails eat the chocolate!

By david

Re: looking after ourselves
Sun 17 Feb 2008 22:35

Hi Tricia,
Nice to see you back again.
I'v just received another invite to a six week 'Looking after me
Carers Programme'
The last one was very successful (By that I assume there's been no suicides) because we must look after ourselves to look after our spouse. We would'nt want anyone else to do it would we? because they would'nt clean their ears or wipe their nose or clean them properly after toileting. So Tricia
take good care of yourself!

By diddy diane

Re: looking after ourselves
Mon 18 Feb 2008 00:30

I know a lot of PRTC centres are given money by the government to help carers but because these centres are non judgemental and they can't check out the facts of what a carer is saying I think a lot of money that is mean't to be for carers who have a high need are not getting the grants they deserve to help them in there caring role.

I DON'T NORMALLY MOAN BUT I FEEL LIKE IT TODAY

By Tricia

Re: looking after ourselves
Mon 18 Feb 2008 14:33

You have got me lost on that diane.

Most funding from government or from another organisation is in most cases monitored and usually reports provided. As in most cases money won't be released if it is provided over a period of time if no report has been provided. The report is provided to show evidence that the funding is being used within the criteria in which the funding was allocated for. During this monitoring carers are asked to complete evaluation forms so this can be collected and provided as evidence along with records of events which take place i.e. carers forums

As for identifying the most in need that can be difficult to establish if they are not known to the PRTC which in itself does cause difficultiy in identifying those most in need. This is where working in partnership with other orgnaisations is invaluable in identifying vlunerable carers. However, I can assure you that my local PRTC do their very best to identify those in need and those who will accept help which the centre is able to offer.

As for grants not all centres are allocated grants to give out to carers. However, this should not deter any carer from making enquiries with their local PRTC centre.

As for getting a break my son is in repsite this weekend so am hoping that my pennies in the bank will allow me to escape into town with the girls for a Saturday night out and have time to recover before my son comes back home on the Monday.

By loopy

Re: looking after ourselves
Mon 18 Feb 2008 21:44

go for it girl!! and have a drink for me whilst you are there!! im not one for going out anymore, i prefer to stay in with a bottle of red.let your hair down though cos you deserve it!!