Because of my severe cerebral palsy, I need a carer.
My main carer is Mum. Dad helps on the weekends.
Mum spends her days working around (and with) me. She gets me up. She feeds me. She dresses me. She gets me into my standing frame, and throughout the day, attends to my daily physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy needs. One of the main reasons I am so determined, is Mum's example... the way she has high expectations for me, and pushes me, every day, to be the best I can.
Every meal, she feeds me. She helps me drink.
She plays with me and makes sure I have fun. She loves me.
She cooks and cleans and washes.
She makes and keeps appointments, and I need a lot of them.
She researches and learns about new equipment, new therapies, new ideas... anything that might help me.
She gives up her work, because looking after me, and meeting all of my needs is very difficult. And, when I don't do exercises... I go backwards in my development.
Mum's gotten older... she has suffered so much stress and anxiety, frustration and fear, because of my cerebral palsy. Her life is hard.
On the weekends, Dad joins us.
We look for the rainbows and the sliver linings, and we look for the little moments... the ones that makes us smile, because life with severe cerebral palsy, a vision impairment and a lingering fear of childhood cancer is hard.
We've met some incredible people, who are also carers... people who look after their children and provide them with the extra care they need.
We see the bags under their eyes, and the grey in their hair. We see the worry and concern in their tired faces and we know the fears and frustrations.
And, we see the love.
To all the carers out there, this was a week to celebrate you, and everything you do for the people you care for.
Often, we won't thank you... and it is not always an easy job.
But know this, we are grateful.
Happy Carers Week!
Carers are people who provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol or other drug issue or who are frail aged.
Carers are an integral part of Australia's health system and are the foundation of our aged, disability, palliative and community care systems.
Caring may include help and support in any of the daily activities of the person being cared for. It may include physical and personal care and assistance such as dressing, lifting, showering, feeding or providing transport.
Commonly, carers are responsible for the management of medications. Carers provide emotional, social or financial support.
Australia has about 2.7 million carers, 12% of the population.
Some quick statistics from the Carers Australia website:
There are:
- 2.7 million unpaid carers in Australia
- more than 770,000 carers are primary carers
- 300,000 carers are under the age of 24
- 150,000 carers are under the age of 18
- over 1.5 million carers are of working age (18-64)
- 520,000 carers are over 65 years of age
- the estimated annual value of care provided in 2012 is over $40.9 billion
- it is estimated that carers provided 1.32 billion hours of unpaid care in 2010, with productivity loss estimated at $6.5 billion
- on average carers spend approximately 40 hours per week providing care. It is estimated that carers of someone with a mental illness spend on average 104 hours per week in the caring role