Publish date: 11 June 2024
By Matthew McKenzie, Carer and Chair of West London Forensic Ethnic Carers Peer Group
As a carer activist, I have always found it useful to raise awareness of unpaid care. Carers Week is the perfect opportunity to raise awareness of unpaid carers and the role they play. The theme for this year is "Putting carers on the map".
Unpaid carers go through many challenges which range from:
- Guilt
- Stigma
- Identification of their role
- Depression
- Financial pressures
- Physical and mental wellbeing issues
- Self care being neglected
- Isolation
- and struggling with carers rights.
So it is great to see that the new theme for 2024 aims to galvanize activity in a general election year, to highlight the increasing pressures carers and to campaign for much-needed recognition and support.
As being involved in West London NHS Trust, I found they are working hard to engage with carers to reduce the challenges carers face. This could be down to carer engagement, carer awareness training, policies aimed to provide support for carers and listening to carers.
It is so important we include families, friends and carers to get the best support offered. I hope Carers Week allows for more carers to be identified and acknowledged for the role they play. It is so important to put carers on the map.
Taken from my book "The Poetry book of mental health caring."
Being There
Here I am
Being there
All I can do
Is say I care
Here I am
The best that can be
I am here for you
Just wait and see
Here I am
An unpaid carer
To be identified
We’ll fight together
Here I am
I am never far
Through sun, rain and snow
I will be your guiding star
Here I am
I’ll fight for you
Although I am not perfect
It’s all I can do