David's Story
David, 33, has cared for his wife for the last 8 years. He was referred to Making Space for carer support after he visited his local GP after feeling stressed.
Information released for Carers Week (11th-17th June) reveals that carers were most likely to say that the impact of stress and anxiety on their own health was their main worry.
Looking after someone can be tough; our Bradford & Airedale Carer Support Service provides support to carers in their role, enabling carers to balance their life. Often, a carer can find that their own mental health is being affected by their caring role. Here’s David’s story… David has dedicated the last eight years of his life to caring for his wife. She has a range of mental health problems. Our team support David in his role as a carer, providing him with the practical and emotional support and guidance to assist him.
David says “As a carer I do a whole host of things to help my wife throughout the day – from making sure she takes her medication and making her dinner to getting her to different appointments."
“Being a carer, you have your good days and your bad days, although the bad days can be a bit stressful, you have your easy days to look forward to, and it can be very rewarding."
“I visited my local GP a few years ago after I found myself feeling stressed. They gave me an information leaflet for Making Space carer support so I gave them a call. Since my first visit to the service, I have regularly visited a support worker allowing me to share my experiences, as well as being invited to days out, where I have been able to meet with other carers and hear their stories.”
At Making Space we understand the stress and pressures of being a carer. The Bradford & Airedale Carer Support Service provide carers with emotion support. They also signpost to other services and organisations that can help and offer advice and guidance to assist carers in need of support.
“If your feeling down, you have the opportunity to meet up for a coffee, even with just an hours chat with someone from the service allows you to offload your stress and any pressures you have – making you feel better afterwards.
“Being a carer has left me stronger and more determined. My wife has many complex issues that require a lot of information and knowledge, but it’s important not to give up – take it day by day.”
In the future, David would like to see a lot more awareness around male carers. David feels that a male support group, allowing people to get together and enjoy hobbies whilst sharing experiences would be beneficial to other males in a caring role.
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