Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[Rhye]

@Shaz51 So great to see you here this evening and thank you for sharing  Having looked after a family member with dementia I know how hard that can be.

[BPDSurvivor]

Through experience, I have found carers more readily 'accepted' by society if their child has a physical disability as opposed to a mental one. 

Did you feel this @SA64 ?

[Daisydreamer]

Question 1b) What have been some of the challenges in accessing services for carers?

[Rhye]

Hi @BPDSurvivor, it's great to see you here this evening. Will be helpful to hear from you as someone who works with carers 

[Shaz51]

My biggest challenge @Daisydreamer , @Rhye , @SA64 , @BPDSurvivor  for me as a carer for my mum is is seeing the change in my mum which she would never have done in her life 

As a wife of someone with a mental illness but not classed as a carer finding it hard to having me 

[SA64]

Question 1b) What have been some of the challenges in accessing services for carers?

There was NOTHING for carers in my area at all, (as far as I knew).  I was never told there was actually carer support.  I didn’t know anything existed in that space.  So, between the stigma and misunderstanding of mental illness, and the lack of services, it was almost like being cut off entirely from any support.

[BPDSurvivor]

Thanks for sharing Mum @Shaz51 . Through your posts in the forums, we can really see how being a carer can be so taxing. I'm sure it is also rewarding, yet I acknowledge how challenging it can be.

My hats off to all carers.

[SA64]

@BPDSurvivor  Interestingly enough, my child has disability and then developed complex mental health issues and YES for sure, disability is almost more 'acceptable' more 'mainstream' maybe, where there is so much misunderstanding around mental health issues.

[BPDSurvivor]

I can definitely see that @SA64 . Such limited support for carers. 

[Shaz51]

Very true @SA64 

There is nothing for me as a carer in the rural area  and I can not drive so this is soo isolating 

Also with family members,  there usually leave it all up to you the carer which I am finding hard @Daisydreamer , @BPDSurvivor ,  @Rhye 

Hello @Mumslove