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Finding Hope
Dane, 61, lives in Hackney with her husband. She is a full-time carer for a family member who struggles with their mental health. For over 25 years, Dane and her family have been there since their family member first experienced Post Natal depression. Unfortunately, since then, their mental health hasn’t improved much, and there have been some particularly tough episodes.
Last November, while talking to a friend about the difficulties she was facing, Dane was introduced to Carers First. Her friend asked if she was getting any support for herself, which led Dane to finding out how Carers First could help. “Sometimes you just need a friend to talk to,” Dane says. “They told me about how Carers First could support me, help me find time for myself, and point me in the right direction to get all the support I needed.”
Dane has found Carers First to be a fantastic support and her first port of call. When Dane’s family members’ benefits were suddenly stopped despite her providing regular fit notes, Carers First stepped in. “They helped by speaking to the Job Centre about my family member’s situation and supported us through the interviews,” Dane explains. Now, Dane's family member receives their full benefit entitlement and no longer needs to visit the Job Centre.
Carers First has also supported Dane by arranging for emergency food parcels for her family member and offering wellbeing activities for herself. “The support has been overwhelming. When I received the food parcel for them, I was amazed at how they had thought of everything—food items, tea, coffee, and personal care necessities.”
Reflecting on the past 25 years, Dane says that the family had no outside support despite many conversations with Dane’s family members’ GP and other professionals. “We never knew about the support available for carers,” she says.
“I felt like I was in a box where it’s hard to see out. Now I’ve realised I’m not on my own. It’s good to share and relate to others who understand, which has helped me a lot. There are so many different aspects to Carers First, and it’s amazing all the things they can help you with.”
Caring can be stressful and challenging, but taking part in Carers First sessions helps Dane unwind. She receives regular email updates, so she always knows about events happening in her local area.
If you’re a carer looking for local support, visit the Local Support page on the Carers First website.