Looking after someone 2017, Northern Ireland | страница 8

8

Keeping relationships fulfilling

“I was suddenly juggling hospital visits,
a full-time job and trying not to scream.
I remember feeling I had lost all control
over my life: that stroke had happened
not just to Peter, but to both of us.”

9

Caring for our loved
ones can express
the best of who we
are, and can take
a relationship to a
profound new level.
It can also push us
to the brink through
financial, emotional
and practical strain.
Illness can cast aside
the best-laid plans and
make relationships feel
utterly different. What
matters most is that
there’s a way for us to
talk honestly and find
help when we need it.

Adapting to changing circumstances

Whether we’re looking after
someone who’s recovering
or whose condition is
deteriorating over time,
caring inevitably involves
adapting to circumstances.
Sometimes it’s easy to focus
on the practical details –
the administration of care
workers or move to the care
home. Being able to stay
attentive to our relationship
with the person we’re caring
for in the midst of all that
change is far from easy.

Looking after someone

“There were times when it seemed that
dad was at death’s door. But a couple of
days later he was sitting up in bed, bright
as a button. That really made the emotions
difficult, constantly living on the edge.”

carersni.org