Looking after someone 2017, Northern Ireland | Page 33

Jo’s story
Jo found herself thrown into the
role of carer when her daughter
developed a serious condition.
Her employer Nutricia has a
Carers Policy in place, allowing Jo
to receive the help and support
she needs to balance her work
life with caring for her daughter.
When Livvi first became
unwell, I needed to take a lot of
time off work. During an acute
attack, she experiences violent
stomach pains, joint pain, dizziness,
loss of vision and speech and a
reduction in what she can hear.
When this happens I have to do
everything for her – from helping
her wash and eat to taking her to
appointments.
Without support, I may have
been forced to give up work which

would have put a huge strain on
my family. Instead, I spoke to
my employer and was offered a
reduced-hours contract for six
months so I could balance work
with looking after Livvi.
I’m bac k working full time now that
Livvi is able to attend school more
regularly. Nutricia continues to give
me the flexibility I need, and has
put a system in place so that I can
drop everything if Livvi needs
urgent care.

Caring is part of all of our lives – whether we’re caring for others
or needing care ourselves. As an employer, we are committed to
supporting our colleagues who have caring responsibilities.
We are proud to be working with Carers UK to help raise awareness
of the importance of good nutrition for carers, and to support
Carers Rights Day and help Carers UK reach more carers with
information and advice.
– Cem Kucukcan, General Manager, Nutricia
Advanced Medical Nutrition, UK and Ireland

Looking after someone

carersni.org

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