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Support for Carer - of adult with bipolar/ depression

4 replies

chorusline79 · 20/11/2018 06:40

First of all, I hope this is appropriate place to post - please advise if it’s not.
My mum suffers with bipolar and has been v unwell since August when she was sectioned. She is still bad at the moment and is very down, and it’s taking a long time to get her drugs right. My dad cares for her at home and is really struggling, as they have some friends but a lot of the time he is alone and he can’t leave her. He is starting to get depressed himself and was crying in the Drs surgery yesterday. I am very worried about him becoming depressed and he needs support, he could really do with regular breaks and was trying to look at employing someone to come in and help with mum ( paying for this is not an issue) he says he can’t find any local agencies - they are based in Plymouth and he says the nearest he can find is quite far away in Cornwall. I really want to help him find support, can anyone advise how I can go about this? And who I might contact? I am going down myself to see him this weekend but I’m in London with 2 young children so I am not able to get down there every weekend. Thanks for any advice.

OP posts:
noego · 20/11/2018 15:49

Try Carers UK. They might be able to offer advice.

chorusline79 · 20/11/2018 16:09

Thanks noego I will try them.

OP posts:
AiryFairyUnicornRainbow · 21/11/2018 19:05

I am in a similar situation to your Dad.

At times it can feel helpless.

I recently joined a local mental health support group who run a monthly carers meeting

I am yet to go to one though (but thats down to me, not being very confident)

chorusline79 · 21/11/2018 19:42

Airyfairy - I'm really sorry to hear you are going through this. I have seen first hand how hard it is, and how relentless.
I hope you can get to the support meeting and that it might help you.
I have contacted Carers Uk by email yesterday and they have given me a lot of information about support I might he might be able to access.
I've also said to him he needs to try and ask friends for help, but be explicit about what he needs - eg someone to come in and sit with mum for a bit while he gets a break.
I hope your situation improves and that you can find the confidence to get the group. Sending you a big hug as I know how hard it is.

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