Carers’ Week 2010- Theme: A Life Of My Own
Today marks the start of Carers’ Week 2010. This is a very important week, now in its tenth year. It recognises the work of those most special members of the mainstream who dedicate their lives to giving people with disabilities the best lives possible.
This year’s theme is ‘A Life of My Own.’ Of course it is very important for every carer to take time out for themselves. They should all be encouraged and helped to do this whenever possible. I truly believe that this makes them better carers.
This year’s theme seems somehow appropriate to me as, this Carers’ Week, I will be thinking particularly of all those carers who have returned, full time, to a life of their own after the loss of their disabled children or family members. I hope that they know what a great difference they made during their time as carers. They may now have had to stop physically caring, but their emotional attachments to the people they cared for will last forever.
I hope they can be truly happy in a life of their own- a life that once seemed ‘old’ but that now will seem strangely ‘new.’ Most of all, I hope that the friends that they made in our very special little world of disability will follow them into this new life of their own. I hope that their time in our special little world improved their lives, and that they will never forget or lose the truly special qualities that made them the carers that they were.
To those who are still carers- enjoy this week. You all truly deserve to be celebrated- and to celebrate yourselves.
Same Difference 