Topic Tuesday // "You don't have to be isolated as a carer" // Tues 26th October, 7pm-8:30pm AEDT

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@Determined wrote:

@Daisydreamer

When balancing carer / husband role I much prefer saying that I support my wife rather than I am her carer.

(Other than dealing with official stuff like centrelink).

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That's a good distinction @Determined and I really like that language

@BPDSurvivor It's really unfortunate that so many young carers can fall through the gaps and that it can have those lasting effects, as it sounds like your friend experienced. Thank you for sharing that story and your support 💐

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@Determined wrote:

@Daisydreamer

When balancing carer / husband role I much prefer saying that I support my wife rather than I am her carer.

(Other than dealing with official stuff like centrelink).

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@Determined , when your wife hears you are her 'carer', she too may react differently as opposed to having you 'support' her. I know how I would feel if i needed a 'carer' as opposed to someone supporting me.

Does your choice of terminology affect your darling?

Question 3: @SA64 What was it like for you as a carer navigating mental health services living in a rural area of Australia?

Thank you for sharing that resource @Corny !

Thanks @BPDSurvivor @Daisydreamer @Former-Member

I am always hopeful that my story may be helpful to others. I have always found seen parallel stories / emotions takes away the feeling of being alone.

Hello @BPDSurvivor , @Daisydreamer , @SA64 , @Determined , @Corny , @Former-Member

Back again

My mum just did all the washing the dishes , awww

Good question @Daisydreamer , I think doing things with our partners is very important

Not doing everything for our love ones but being with them in the daily walk

Hello @Krishna , @outlander who is looking after her pop

Thank you for sharing that link @Corny, sounds like a great starting place for support

Question 3: @SA64 What was it like for you as a carer navigating mental health services living in a rural area of Australia?

@Daisydreamer

Well, it was tough. We did not have any mental health support for young people in our area or even in the regional town ½ hour away. We have CAMHS (Child & Adolescence Mental Health Service) in the wheatbelt, but there was no paediatric psychiatrist at the time my daughter got unwell (the last one had left and they had no one to fill that role). There were times when there we no GP’s in my town, and that created extra pressure on GP’s in surrounding towns, where the waitlists grew so large they just stopped taking new patients. And doctors and disability agencies and mental health supports, etc. have a huge turn over in rural and remote areas, so there is no continuity of care, and a lot of time, no care at all.

For us to access mental health support, we had to travel to the city. And even then there was very high turn over of staff, so again, a lack of continuity of care. In three years, my daughter had 5 different psychiatrists and numerous therapists. I don’t have an answer for this, it’s just what is happening and adds another layer of difficulty into the mix.

@SA64 , on social media platforms etc, did you find people in like circumstances were able to provide glimmers of hope that perhaps medical staff were reluctant to give? For example, I work with a child with cerebral palsy. All medical teams said he'd never talk. Yet reaching out gave the parents hope so they tried many treatments - today, he CAN talk... only too well!