As part of Young Carers Action Day we have been speaking to some of our Young Carers to find out more about their caring roles and what caring has given them. This case study is about a young carer who has cared for different members of their family throughout their childhood as well studying.
What is your caring story so far?
When I was 8 my cousin came to live with us. She had Sottos Syndrome and learning difficulties which sometimes made her difficult to live with as she could get angry and need a lot of my parent’s attention. This is when I first joined young carers, I then left young carers 5 years later when she left.
When I was 15 my dad became ill and unable to eat and keep drink down. We weren’t sure what this was. During my GCSEs my dad was hospitalised for 11 weeks with lock jaw, unable to eat and extreme weight loss as well as other things including aggressive behaviour. This was scary at the time as he was put into a psychiatric unit.
Eventually he was diagnosed with a bad case of lung cancer and began treatment. This is when I re-joined carers as a YAC (young adult carer). When he was in hospital me and my brother did all the housework and cooking as mum was at hospital. Once he came home I helped him with his tube feed, kept him company as he was practically bed bound and helped mum with housework so we could all care for dad and get a break. On treatment days I’d come home and do everything as mum and dad were at the hospital all day.
I now care for my mum who is deaf and wears hearing aids, struggles with mental health and has long Covid. This means that she often has extreme fatigue and brain fog amongst other symptoms, which means I am back doing most of the housework and cooking on top of managing my own wellbeing, college and part time job. On bad days my role includes listening to rants, being a shoulder to cry on and running up and down the stairs as mum’s in bed ill.
What skills has caring given you?
As a result of being a carer I’ve gained practical skills from caring for dad as well as resilience and the ability to adapt as you never know what life will throw at you next. I’m also learning British Sign Language which may be useful with my mum in the future.
I consider Determination my greatest strength as I rarely give up and will give everything a go.
YACs makes me feel less alone, provides a regular break and time for myself and gives me people to talk to who understand what I’m going through. I’m currently doing a ‘Be Your Own Warrior’ course with YAC which is helping me gain more self-confidence and resilience. I also love doing online activities that YAC are doing at the moment as I can still get time out and a chance to relax and socialise at a time when I’m not really going out.
Whether you are a Young Carer or a professional working with Young Carers, if you would like more information on our Young People’s Service please get in contact with us.
