Carers - A question

Post Reply New Topic

On Thursday I had my annual care act assessment. My s/dau was here with me. As she does quite a lot for me she was asked about doing a carer's assessment. She agreed, which is a good thing. What was mentioned at the assessment was poor peripheral vision, clumsiness,poor practical/technical skills,spatial perception & mobility issues.

I say it's good, but at the same time I'm thinking I must be quite stupid/useless to need a carer. Anyone here non LD or significantly physically h/capped that has a carer?

Don't feel bad. Help is good. You are still a blessing. You can brighten up the carers day.

Thanks @Mountaingoat.

I do not currently need a carer - but I expect if I follow in the footsteps of my mother and father, and their mothers and fathers before them I will eventually need a carer. When I was a young man there was a time in my life where it seemed that I grew taller and stronger no matter what I did, and even in spite of what I did. At my current age it seems the trend has reversed - my health seems to decline and/or require more and more work just to keep simple things at bay, like keeping my teeth healthy, my weight down - things that I didn't bother with much when younger. My ADHD and ASD-like traits will not go away - haven't in the last century and I don't expect the will now decide to suddenly disappear. Reading and Writing challenges remain - but not being a student, they don't show quite as much. My natural aging process will only add to some of those challenges. My skin and my hair don't seem to want to do things they once did.
On the other hand with age comes experience and sometimes even wisdom. Pains of adolescence are now permanently behind me (and good riddance). Many of my weakness are common to all man and I still need to set a good example for those coming up the road behind me - so my job is not done yet. There are good and bad things about aging.

I like to joke:

"I always wanted to grow old gracefully - so far I've got the first half down".

. . . Now to work on the second half.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that my adaptive functioning is significantly below par. Physical health issues are also restricting me quite a lot i.e can only walk fairly short distances before pain kicks in .Ditto re standing up for very long.

We all have people that take care of us in one way or another, we just don't call them "carers." We live an interdependent life. People refusing the care of others strike me as not only ungrateful, but also not the sharpest tool in the shed...

I wouldn't refuse the help I get. I'm not doing as well as a non autistic ,non severely mentally ill, person of similar age and intellect. However I'm doing a lot better than I was in Essex. In Essex there was no family support nearby, and I was the typical non acute ,middle aged service user who's very often at the back of the queue for professional support.

Like Mountain Goat said, I'm sure your stepdaughter feels pleasure in your company, and enjoys being your friend.

There's nothing wrong with having someone care for you, if you're ill then you're ill you don't have to feel bad about that as it's inevitable.

My aunt has a carer and she feels great about it, she doesn't have to do any of her washing, cooking or cleaning that makes her MS worse she can just relax and be looked after without stressing that the washing is building up or some other worry.

Just have a chat to them and cheer them up cause that will just make you happy as well to have the connection like Mountain Goat said.