SOMETIMES, somebody has to care for the carers, too.
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Anglican Care has provided a free lunch and afternoon of fun and relaxation for local carers who dedicate so much of their time to caring for loved ones.
The function was held at Toronto Diggers and attended by more than 100 carers and clients from Anglican Care’s day centres across the Hunter and Central Coast.
Anglican Care’s marketing manager Kylie Jacques said the function recognised that volunteers were the cornerstones of communities.
“As a society we often overlook the role family members and friends have in providing care and support for the elderly,” Ms Jaques said.
“By providing a special luncheon with entertainment, guest speakers, lucky door prizes and gift bags, it’s just a small way that we can say thank you for volunteering their time to care for others.”
Among the carers who enjoyed the hospitality were Lorraine Garrard and Patricia Rudd, whose husbands are dealing with dementia.
Mrs Garrard, of Edgeworth, said her husband James had become very unsteady on his feet.
“So I’ve got to be there to look after him,” she smiled.
“It’s lovely to have a day like this. We need this time because it can be very hectic and tiring, especially when you’re caring for someone with dementia.”
She said the physical demands of caring for a loved one were not the most taxing.
“The most difficult thing is relating to the memory loss,” she said.
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Mrs Rudd, of Speers Point, said her husband was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia 12 months ago, and now attends day therapy in Toronto.
The condition affects a person’s thinking, movement, behavior, and mood.
At day therapy, Mr Rudd undergoes physiotherapy as well as mental exercises.
“He loves coming to the day therapy, and enjoys interacting with other people, and he still plays lawn bowls,” Mrs Rudd said.
“My role involves helping Gary with things like cooking, dressing and bathing,” she said.
She is now also responsible for his transport.
“Gary had to give up his driver’s licence a few years ago. It was too dangerous for him to drive,” she said.
Among the speakers at the function, funded through the ClubGRANTS program, was Anglican Care’s senior nurse educator Janet Sykes.
Ms Sykes told the room that the three cornerstones of wellbeing were having someone or something to love; something to do; and something to look forward to.
She encouraged the carers to nurture their relationships, the purpose in their lives, and the hope.
“You are giving so much love, but you have to be able to recognise when you are being loved in return,” Ms Sykes said.
