The boys are asleep, all is quiet and it’s all because I spent today completely tiring them out at The Eden Project. It’s somewhere we go a few times a year but today we were there to attend The Big Event for Carers.
One of the main difficulties I’ve experienced since Jacob’s needs became obviously more significant is that I just didn’t know what help was out there. When you’re caring for someone with any sort of additional need it’s as if the world quietly whispers “Shhhh, keep quiet. If she doesn’t know what’s available she can’t ask for it” and “therefore it won’t cost us any money”. I made that last bit up myself. I know, how ludicrous, as IF anyone in their right mind would want to stop people getting help just because it cost too much money. I apologise, sometimes I just get too carried away!
Anyway back to what I was supposed to be writing about. What I found out today, is that there is a fantastic way to find out exactly what is available to you in your local area and that is to use your local Carers service. You can find yours by looking on the Carers UK website. Our local one will send a support worker to your house and talk through all your issues and then go away and research all the options that are available to you. How much time could that have saved me if I’d known about it years ago?!
At the Big Event run by Cornwall Carers Service there were stands from loads of useful organisations so you could chat and pick up information; free lunch and drinks, free massages, hair and make up styling, manicures. I mean, it beat making tons of telephone calls and waiting endlessly for people to ring you back by a looong long way! Plus, thrown in, it meant we had a really fun day.
All in all, a success I’d say.
oneoffordinary 