Why_Can_It_Be_Difficult_to_Decide_If_a_Person_Is_a_Carer_

This assignment is to introduce the case of my grandmother, dot, as it is very easy to see how the factors from unit 1 apply to her. She is 91 years old, was widowed 10 years ago and still lives alone in the same terraced house they shared. Although in very good health for her age she now has some issues with heart problems and mobility, and general problems concerned with the elderly. Although she lives within walking distance of doctors surgery and shops and indeed walks to surgery unaided once a week for blood tests, she is unable to manage food shopping and 1 of her daughters, joy, and son-in-law help out each week. Also once a week her daughter helps to clean up, doing the heavier jobs dot cant manage herself. dot is fiercely independent though and cares for her personal needs, bill paying, and general household tasks, as well as having the great grandchildren to stay during the day. dot has a large support network involving children and in-laws. However there isn’t a single person who could be classed as a ‘carer’. Interdependency also steps in, as dot also helps out the extended family by looking after grandchildren during the day, she also basically runs her own household, and pays her own rent every week as well as organising tasks that need doing and deciding which dot cant manage and asks joy to do. So it becomes clear that the care is a 2 way thing in this case as dot is both a receiver and a giver. It is very difficult when looking at the duration and frequency of care given to decide whether joy is actually a carer for dot, as dot is very capable in certain ways such as washing bathing and dressing herself, indeed she even organises her own hair appointments, but her needs vary and as she is fairly frail some tasks such as cooking (lifting heavy pans), keeping garden tidy, shopping, are beyond her, as are cleaning tasks such as vacuuming. In this case joy has to step in to keep dot both safe from hurting herself, as she would try and have a go herself, and the house satisfactorily clean. If I ask joy if she is labelled a carer her initial response would be ‘don’t be stupid I’m just helping nana!’, she sees herself as a daughter just doing what is expected and natural in helping out and being there for her mother. Indeed dot doesn’t consider herself in need of care as such and has often said she appreciates the help as it makes her independent life easier, not admitting that she wouldn’t manage without it. And to be honest for the main part she would manage. In conclusion, I don’t think joy or dot sees themselves as being classed as a ‘carer’ or ‘care receiver’, the general opinion seems to be that it is a normal part of extended families and Val certainly doesn’t expect or want recognition for it. I feel that in this case recognition wouldn’t matter, as family ties are strong. In general terms however this case is a classic example of how difficult it is to define a carer as the frequency, type and complicating factors are so variable. Also the fact that dot manages to live alone in the main part without help, and the fact that joy and other family members arent on call 24 hours a day means a definition of carer probably wouldn’t apply in this case