"I felt hopeless, like no one understood what I was going through"
Sandra, 68, lives in Midsomer Norton with her husband, Peter. Peter has vascular dementia. Sandra shares what its like to look after her husband of forty-five years, and how the kindness from her neighbour, Anne changed her life.
"Just one conversation stopped me from reaching breaking point"
Kyle, 20 lives in Bath and helps look after his younger sister, Jade. He's been helping Jade since she was born, and is worried about leaving home to go to university. His friend, Ava noticed he was struggling and reached out, he shares how this moment was pivotal for his mental health.
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
Aesop
3 simple ways you can make a difference
Sandra and Kyle are not alone. In fact there are over 20,000 people in Bath and North East Somerset that look after a partner, friend or relative.
It can be difficult to prioritise looking after ourselves when we take care of someone else. Sometimes, we just need a little help from the people around us.
You can listen
As we saw with Kyle, checking in and listening can make a huge difference to someone's life. You don't need to have all the answers!
You can act
Anne's small act of kindness made a significant impact on Sandra. Every situation is different, don't be afraid to ask what they need or what could make their day a little better.
You can share
Don't have much time? We've got you covered. In less time than it takes to make a cup of tea, simply share this page and raise awareness.
Want to go an extra step?
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