Prioritising resources
- By angelica
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Wed 12 Mar 2008 10:17
This one might be a bit controversial. It is NOT meant to be divisive.
With the new strategy for carers due out soon there is a lot of discussion about the help that all carers need in order not to be financially and socially excluded from society. Caring is however a pretty blanket term. Whilst we carers do have a number of needs in common our individual situations and need for support differ greatly.I strongly believe that all carers deserve proper financial recognition and practical support but I would like to see more discussion about urgently prioritising those in greatest need. This is not in my own self interest. Although I am a 24/7 carer I do not count myself as being at the top of the list for support. At the moment I am healthy and the person that I care for is not physically challenging or mentally exhausting and although I do have a wish list at the we are coping. However, when my caree was on the wrong medication last year his behaviour was very difficult to cope with and it made me realise how hard life must be for carers who have to cope with similar and worse (ashusband was not physically threatening) behaviour all the time.
A lot of the current talk is about supporting carers in work etc. I am all for this as it will help some carers but I am concerned that those who are in greatest need, who are living in fear of their caree or carers or who have their own health problems, and especially if they are the sole carer, are not being given the urgent priority for support that is needed.
What do you think?
love and peace
Angel
Replies
- By kerry
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Re: Prioritising resources
Wed 12 Mar 2008 20:34I think Angel that as always you have made a few very valid points and i therefore think you should still stand for presidency (or local auth MP) !!!!
you are correct in that some carers needs differ from others.
for example a spouse caring for partner will have different needs to say a young carer, or a parent carer.my situation for example, is that we have 2 very severely mentally disabled young boys, the work that entails is indescribable, never ending and totally exhausting not to mention the physical harm it has caused us both and our other children.
therefore our needs for support etc would be vastly different to yours or to someone under 16 who is caring for a sibling or parent etc.my dissertation is only on 'parent carers' for exactly this reason: the whole area of care is too generic and needs individual treatment to a degree, even if it was just 'grouping' carers into a few different cooking pots so to speak.
and of course, things change... so these policies need constant reviewing to keep in line with needs.
Oh hell who are we kidding Angel.....?
do you think anyones listening????????
kerry
- By angelica
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Re: Prioritising resources
Thu 13 Mar 2008 00:55Hey Kerry
I've never let a little thing like people not listening put me off talking!! No one listens to me in this house. The cats ignore my polite requests that they stop shredding the sofa and even when my husband does listen to me he forgets what I've said (that's amnesia for you). I'm always talking to myself!! Angel
P.S. Your dissertation sounds interesting.
- By kerry
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Re: Prioritising resources
Thu 13 Mar 2008 17:26sorry angel, did you say something......
hmmm my dissertation could very well be interesting if it was being done by someone who knew her arse from her elbow...
Had to do a presentaiton today in front of two lecturers.
sat last night writing all my oh so clever and thought provoking notes to go with my very funky and fascinating slide show....went in, my mouth went dry, the sound wouldnt work on the slide show, i lost my place with the notes after line 2 and completely,in my opinion anyway, ballsed it all up.
i guess the fact that they stayed awake for the entire 20 minutes was a good sign though lol.
seriously my mind has so many issues ad thoughts going round and round in it that i dunnoreally what to start with.
i will be doing some stuff on the sociology of humour cos i thinkthats what keeps us going mostly.
also the sociology of emotions as it is such an emotive subject not looking forward to that bit- ill probably be in tears myself lol.ill let ya know what grade i get.......
so far im on a high 2:1 but things can change for the worse lol.
- By angelica
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Re: Prioritising resources
Fri 14 Mar 2008 23:59Kerry
Bet your presentation went better than you think. I don't often speak in public but when I have to I get really nervous (not sure why since as we've already established no-one's listening). Last time I spoke in public, (which I agreed to do before I'd really thought about it) after I'd been speaking for a couple of minutes my voice started to go all high and squeaky . I suddenly realised I was so nervous I'd forgotten to breathe!!I guess these things get easier with practice.
I think you're brilliant to go back to studying. I've put myself in for a short writers course that was set up locally for carers and funded by none other than PRTC. I was really enthusiastic. Missed the workshop because my respite fell through but had the assignment e-mailed to me. It's been many many years since I took a formal course in anything and now when I actually sit down and attempt to do anything it's a case of blank screen and blank mind!!
( By the way just in case you're wondering it's the course that''s short not the the writers - I think)
- By kerry
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Re: Prioritising resources
Sat 15 Mar 2008 13:53Hi angel,
I did the same thing a few years back- had a discrimination issue at local leisure centre (they wouldnt let Sid join a class cos he was disabled and they wouldnt be able to cope with him, bearing in mind they never even met him)
so to cut an incredibly long and frustrating story short, i ended up in this meeting with head of leisure plus a few of my supporters (ha he thought it was just me, and was very gloaty and patronising til we all turned up on mass, and we had to reconvene to a bigger room haha)
anyway he was so 'impressed' (his words) that he asked me to give a speech on disability issues to all the staff....
Okeydokes says I....then didnt really think about it til the day.
OMG I crapped myself lol.
the guy organising it said he would have offered me a stiff drink except that i was shaking so much i would have dropped it!never again says I...
and then i stupidly went to university haha.
this is my 3rd presentation so far.
good luck with your writing course- I am positive you will be amazing at it, judging by your posts alone.
- By CHERYL THE PERIL
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Re: Prioritising resources
Sat 15 Mar 2008 17:20Angelica, you have some valid points there.
Of course the same as everyone else carers are individuals. There is no one size fits all solution to anyones problems, financial or social.How to get that info across to the people who are making decisions and policies on behalf of carers?
Humour Kerry is my saviour, I can see the funny side of most things. Consquently I've lead a very humorous life, hence the screen name which is
a family nick name from way back when.I think having a sense of humour will keep you going longer than any other emotion.
Good luck to both of you in your courses
Cheryl x
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- By kerry
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Re: Prioritising resources
Sat 15 Mar 2008 17:41Thanks Cheryl,
I love that: "I think having a sense of humour...." - and yes I agree: even when I got 2nd son diagnosed with same condition, and everyone was offering me hugs of support (which i really could not cope with) I was being jovial and telling them it was OK cos I got two for the price of one, and buy one get one free etc.
Although inside I was dying with grief, it was this attitude that stopped me going under, and it still holds true today.when sid first shouted out the F word in the supermarket I thought Oh bless him, hes talking, hoorah!
I think its like funereal humour, or black humour, but hey, whatever floats yer boat as they say.
- By angelica
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Re: Prioritising resources
Sun 16 Mar 2008 13:48Hi both
I agree with you about caring/life and humour.
Thanks for the good wishes for the course (I'm going to need them).
Keep fighting the good fight
Angel
- By angelica
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Re: Prioritising resources
Sun 16 Mar 2008 13:52I meant to add that your post touched me Kerry.
My mom always says "Life will break your heart but don't let it break your spirit".
- By marie66
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Re: Prioritising resources
Tue 18 Mar 2008 21:10Angelica said "My mom always says "Life will break your heart but don't let it break your spirit"."
Smart lady!
marie x
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