Share when a carer made all the difference to you with TrustFord - chance to win £300 NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

The team at TrustFord would love to hear from MNers who have contact with carers (formal or informal) and to hear the stories when a carer made a really big difference to you/ your family.

TrustFord say "We know that having the right tool for the job makes all the difference, and we believe it’s the same when it comes to cars. Motability is a car scheme to get disabled people on the road and recent changes have meant that more people with mental disabilities are now able to join. Here at TrustFord our dedicated Motability Specialists in each dealership get to know you and those you care for to ensure that you drive away in a vehicle perfect for your lifestyle".

To find out more about how TrustFord can help you and your family get on the road with the Motability scheme watch this video.

So please share on this thread your story of how a carer (or carers) have helped you or your family - this could be someone caring for your child in your home, someone working with your elderly parent (or grandparent) or with someone in your family who has a disability or additional needs - we want to celebrate the difference they make to everyday life. This could include informal carers/ support volunteers etc.

Everyone who posts on the thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks, and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

NB: Wholly owned by Ford Motor Company and operating as an independent dealer group with its own board of directors and operating strategies, TrustFord is part of the Ford Retail Group which also owns and operates TrustFirstParts.
Accredited as one of the Sunday Times Top 25 Companies to work for, TrustFord operates a network of 60 dealership sites throughout the UK and Channel Islands. It employs 3,200 staff all of whom are focused on Driving the Standard in Customer Care.
On the website, you can find out more about their New and Used Cars, Motability vehicles or vans, as well as the latest Offers, Servicing options, and the latest driving advice.

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The lady who cares for my parents is amazing. My mum has severe dementia, dad has a litany of problems, and without Sharon they would have ended up in care long ago.
Dad is a grumpy git, and he hates that they can't manage by themselves, but he now refers to Sharon as his second wife as she nags him into having his haircut, gives him a shopping list, berates him about their diet, and throws out his disgusting trousers and phones me to get me to order new ones.
She's incredibly flexible, and finds ways to get them to accept more help without dad having to admit it. She also liases with their district nurses, GP etc so that they get the best care - and lets me know whats going on!

I and my DC have had amazing support from ADVA (Against Domestic Violence and Abuse) support for over 18 months. They have provided a named keyworker who visited me every week for at least an hour to just listen or help with practical things, a female court advocate who came to all my court sessions with me to provide moral support, counselling for my DC, a support group for me for ten weeks and visits from the Fire Service and Sanctuary housing who made changes to my home so it could be made safe for us. I was also given a special mobile phone to use when out and about and ultimately help to re-locate safely. I know that I would never have become a survivor without all the help and advice that was offered to me, but it was the unwavering weekly support from my ADVA worker that I will never ever forget and always be so very thankful for, and can never repay.

My mother-in-law was terminally ill. My husband (at my suggestion) went to live with her for over a month, but my mother-in-law spent four weeks or so at Marie Curie and they were a great help for our sanity and marriage.

Had a carer for my Grandfather. Pretty sure she'd rather have done any job in the world apart from being a carer.

Mum has a few Carers who come in on a daily basis, but there are two who go the extra mile. I Cannot name them as this is against there code of practice and truth be told I do not know if I agree with them going against this. However they make my Mothers life bearable by doing these little extras so for that I must be thankful. I live many miles away and only see her a couple of times a year so it is comforting to know that she is being cared for.

My nan and grandads main carer was amazing. He used to go above and beyond, always bringing them things he seen that they might like. He worked overnights to give my mum a break and generally made those last few months easier for us all. Sadly he no longer works in care as the money was too low. We should appreciate our carers more.

Have met a few carers who work on a rota basis but they can change without warning. They have on the majority been nice and are very caring with the odd one or two only using the job as a way of paying the bills, but they still did their job as best they could and with a smile.

A carer who care for my grandmother who was very caring

The wonderful carer who looks after my mum- staying overnight for nearly two weeks when DM came out of hospital post hip replacement, noticing she needed a chiropodist( and sorted it), sends her postcards from holiday, and generally enabling her to live independently- just getting on with stuff like replacing the shower head, bathmat, without being asked. Absolutely priceless.

My dads Community Psychiatric Nurse has been a rock for my dad during his tough times. She helps with practical things such as help with filling out forms, contacting different agencies etc but more importantly than the regular things she sits with my dad and chats with him to gauge how he is feeling, makes sure he's taking his medication and ensures he feels okay. She has gained my dads trust (not easy for someone with paranoia) and knows exactly how to get truthful answers from him where others have failed (he can be sneaky and avoidant when asked certain questions regarding health concerns). She's one in a million and the family feel so thankful for all her support.

My elderly parents found living at home increasingly difficult, especially my mother. However a very supportive team of carers made it possible for them to stay together in their house until just a few weeks before they died.

I have recently starting caring for my mother in a very small way. She has early stage dementia and whilst she still lives alone I take care of her bills etc, and have to explain things over and over again, This experience has both brought me closer to her and pushed us further apart at the same time. It has also made my admiration for full time carers ( both professional and voluntary ) beyond belief.

The carer who helped my mum although on a strict timetable always had time for to listen and chat to her. She went over and above the call of duty when my dad died and she came back on the evening of his funeral to spend time with mum...helping her through the terrible day.

My daughter is disabled and bed-bound and I suffer from health problems and disability myself so am not able to fully care for her needs myself. We have lovely carers who come in to help bathe her. Not only does this fulfill a very necessary practical need but it gives her some new faces and insights into the outside world as her freinds cannot visit as often as she would like.

My Grandad moved in with us when my Grandma passed away 5 years ago. It soon became quite hard for us trying to care for him because we couldn't cope & he needed more care. We had carers care for my Grandad for many years but it even got too much for them & they suggested (Nicely) that we put him into a home when he got diagnosed with dementia. The abuse that we used to receive & what the carers received was shocking & so upsetting to see. We now have so much admiration for carers for what they do & what they have to put up with.

My Mum's neighbour who has become her carer due to her worsening conditions.

The Marie Curie carers who gave me much needed respite at the end of my husbands life were MY life savers. They helped him smoke his last cigarettes, too late for castigation. They kept him safe and me sane.

My mum-in-law has had amazing carers. These ranged from help a couple of times a week when her health was failing, to daily meds and meals. She went into a care home this month but the presence of carers allowed her to have her independence, in her own home, for as long as possible, which she wanted.

my father in law had some brilliant carers! they cooked him his meals and they were fantastic.

The nurses and staff at Victory Rehab centre have been a godsend in helping to care for my elderly mother. I wouldn't be able to cope emotionally without their support

My husband is my carer & he makes me feel so very special, not like a burden.

Last year we had to move into a medically adapted house.

The house was just a desolate shell with a derelict garden.

I am often stuck at home, so besides turning the house into a warm home for us, my husband turned the garden into a glorious haven, so that I can enjoy being outside

Having lost my parents at a young age and DH the same, when we started our own family, we needed to find a carer for DD in order for me to return to work. Chris has been part of our family for 20 years now and helped raise both my children. She is more like a grandparent than a carer though, I was very blessed to find her.

I am disabled & housebound & after one of my carers stole from me I didn't want to have carers in the house again so I just relied on friends helping out whenever they could until I found my current carer who is amazing, she is a friend of a friend & I couldn't cope without her help after the way I was treated by the care agencies who were totally unreliable & turned up when they felt like it. Following leg surgery I was completely immobile & couldn't even get into my kitchen so when they failed to turn up I couldn't even get a glass of water & when I rang them they said they couldn't get anyone else out to me till later that day & sometimes they still wouldn't turn up at lunchtime so I was left until evening without being washed, dressed or even a drink, it was awful

My nan used to have a carer when she was struggling with day to day stuff. The carer (Joanne) was really lovely to everyone and always went out of her way to help my nan before she passed. I still see her around and she's still lovely and chatty when I bump into her.

Both of my grandparents needed carers to call on a daily basis. Once this had been set up it took a lot of pressure off family. My Granny had someone call morning and night to get her in and out of bed and deal with bed baths and personal needs. My Grandad had been looking after her and he was in his 90s at the time! Eventually it was just Grandad and he had some home care before eventually needing to be in a home, but he is now 100! The home care helped keep him independent for longer!