We are all carers.
At some point in our lives most of us will either need care or have the responsibility of caring for another.
Millions of carers the world over – men, women, children, paid or unpaid – care for family members, friends and clients, young and old. The majority of carers are not in paid employment, working inside their own homes, supporting a family member or friend, they remain largely unseen and undervalued. Paid carers support elders, or anyone who lives with a chronic or progressive-ill-heath condition in their own home, day care or residential setting.
Though a vital service for humanity, care remains grossly misunderstood, under-valued and rarely given the credit and attention it deserves.
To truly care for another is a precious and enriching way to be of service to humanity. It is a privilege to care for someone. To walk beside them through many hours, weeks, months and years of need, deteriorating health, pain, various struggles, challenges and sometimes to end of life, is the service provided by carers. The worth of this is to be treasured and appreciated.
Care – a gateway that deepens our relationship with ourselves and another.
When we care for another, we are called to observe, connect, listen, respond, be attentive, and never impose on them. In this relationship, client and carer are equals – no one better or less than. One person lovingly supports another for no other reason than because it is their responsibility to do so. The person receiving care also has a responsibility to accept (or not) the offering of truly loving care. Care teaches us that we never care for one person, we care for everyone through one. We closely collaborate with families, friends, healthcare providers, medical practitioners and local communities and work as a unit of one, supporting the person in need of care. and each other.
A Carer’s Journal is a collection of articles based on the lived experiences, observations and reflections of carers working across different settings. Their writings reveal and share the joy, beauty and adventure of caring for another. For them, to care for and nurture another is exquisite and transformative for both carer and cared for.
Their writings show us that caring for another is not burdensome, tedious, or exhausting, it is enriching, joyous and revitalising.