Carers Support.

Where do I start with this one?

As a professional carer I always felt that the recognition was never there. The skills and care of each member took for granted . Being asked what I did for a living ;at times; got the ' conversation stopper treatment',  almost a   'you get paid to do it and it is just a job, low on the rankings.' How wrong!!

I always felt very proud of what I did and would send such an attitude a silent blessing.It is a position of great privilege and a 'job' which you have to want to do. My advice to anyone thinking it is an easy option to earn a couple of pounds would be ,don't do it!

Choice is something that we all have, however there are situations in our lives which make it quite difficult to decide. Never more so than for those caring for their own loved ones 24/7 365!!

 I have had a read of the forum at carers uk and have to say how heartbreaking, yet inspiring the comments are. All carers and all supporting each other.

It has given me a deeper insight into how they must feel,cope and manage their situations. One emotion I had not given much thought to, was the guilt a person was feeling for not being able to cope with the care and keeping a young family together...courageous to write about it and phenomenal, non patronising support given from others.

Carers uk is full of wonderful tips and guidance and well worth looking at.

Its good to know its there.

www.carersuk.org/

Daily Om...is here!

I'm very excited about this and I hope you will be too. If you look to the right you will see ' Today's Daily Om'.

Each day they send a reflection or something worth thinking about. Like me , you may find that it arrives at a very important time in your life and strike a chord.

So, if it is of interest to you and you have a few minutes then please do take a look.

(I don't feel so daft writing about the butterfly I saw the other week now!)

Have fun.

'Cranky Old Man' Anonymous poem

 Have come across this, and just had to share it with you all.....

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.

One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

Cranky Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!

PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM!
The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart!

Psst!

Just a quickie...! You can now keep up with us on Facebook and Twitter. x

" If you knew who walked beside you at all times, on the path that you have chosen, you could never experience fear or doubt again.” ― Wayne W. Dyer

THANK YOU AND YOU AND YOU.....!

Time for a 'gratitude attack!'

The last couple of months have been quite amazing thanks to all of you who have had a browse and shown great interest in the Carers Coffee Pot.

Your comments have been wonderful and courageous and as the Carers Coffee Pot will always maintain anonymity, I would like to at least say thank you to the countries around the world and I'm sure you all know who you are even if I don't!!!! (I'm confusing myself here!!!!!)

So, thank you to....UK,USA, RUSSIA, UKRAINE, GERMANY, FRANCE, AUSTRIA, AUSTRALIA, INDIA, IRELAND, MALAYSIA, PHILIPPINES.
It is wonderful to think the world is full of silent angels and as I have said from the start, this is for you so thank you for being there.

Interestingly, there has been a lot of interest shown in the posts regarding abuse, stress, grief, reablement, whistleblowing....I don't know about you but I feel there is a lot more to explore here and in due course they will all be followed up.

One of the many aims of this blog is to provide support to you all. Be it in boosting morale or providing information in areas that aren't always made clear to us. It would also be beneficial to throw in a few personal coping strategies for us all too.

All of this is to come and I feel there is enough here to overflow into a website all of its own, but that's just between you and me for now.

Exciting times to come for the Carers Coffee Pot.

Once again (gratitude attack) THANK YOU AND YOU AND YOU AND YOU......!




" If you knew who walked beside you at all times, on the path that you have chosen, you could never experience fear or doubt again.” ― Wayne W. Dyer

 “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt