Sandy's story

 I look after my husband with Dementia  

 “Mike used to get frustrated whilst forgetting to do things, but now he is in his own world” said Sandy. He wants to be by Sandy’s side all the time and gets worried if he doesn’t know where she is. Sandy finds this tiring, especially on the days following a night where Mike has struggled to settle into bed.   

One day, Sandy asked a neighbour for help because Mike had fallen, and he couldn’t get himself up. He hadn’t hurt himself, he just struggled to get up off the floor. Sandy explained to her neighbour how Mike had been up all night, she was so tired and did not know how much more she could take.

 

Her neighbour told Sandy about Carers First and the ways we could help her as an unpaid carer. Sandy rang Carers First and an advisor listened to her story and put her at ease. Her local team referred her to other services that would help her. They also gave her information that would help her to understand Mike’s condition and tips for dealing with his behaviour.

 

Encouraged, Sandy contacted her GP and talked to her family. Sandy said, “Without the support of Carers First I would not know what to do. I would not have approached my family and GP for help. I am now able to get a break, so I can continue to look after Mike”.  


Carers First also told Sandy about Anglian Water’s Priority Register Service. “It is a wonderful service and means I have one less thing to worry about. I would recommend to any carer to register and I have the peace of mind that when I need help with my water, Anglian Water will help.”