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 cleaner for a 94 year old relative of mine has been invaluable - helping to keep her in her home due to extra help, kindnesses and company. Unfortunately she has had a tragic bereavement recently but when she is able to go back to work she will be very welcomed.

The ladies who care for my grandad are really great, efficient but kind and will go above and beyond to help out where necessary.

my dad look after my grandad every day as he got weaker..

My social workers where my carers when I was bringing up my children (my youngest son was mentally handicapped) As I was a one parent family money was very tight, but one year about 4 days before Xmas my social worker turned up with a dustbin bag of toys that had been donated by the shops and businesses in our area. To be able to give my children some lovely presents for Xmas was the best Xmas present for me, I wil never forget that kindness.

My father in law had fantastic carers and they cooked hot meals every day. They were fantastic and great multi-taskers!

My. Autistic son attends a football training session each Saturday morning. The team there are wonderful and understsnd his needsand diificulties. Also they provide transport and ds has struck up a good relationship with the driver. It makes such a difference to us to have a small amount of respite and for ds to feel included and accepted in a safe environment. He has few friends and this helps hom socially and builds his esteem.

I'm a main carerer for my wife and I have a lot of help and support from family and local support services. I really appreciate the help that I get, as a carer, self employed electrician, parent and individual. My wife has suffered from ongoing health problems for over 11 years. It's so hard for one person to try and do everything. I have been really grateful for the personal care assistance she receives, the support for the children, getting used to their mothers deteriorating health, and how to cope. As a carer, it's very easy to stop looking after yourself. We were suffering in silence for years until my wife decided to contact carers of Bedfordshire and get help for myself and my children. I have to take my hat off to the personal care assistance. The work they do is extremely difficult, and hard to cope. I would like to thank everyone who has been supporting our family and our difficulties in getting the correct help that we need. We are still trying to access support from our local council for an adaptation, but it's been more hassle than we expected. Hopefully this will be resolved soon and we can move forward one step at a time, one day at a time. Carers suffer just as much as patients in need. I find it really annoying when you have services who can't see how difficult it is for one individual. Thank you for all the help and support from the services that have gone beyond trying to access services and support for us.

My Mum's carer was the salt of the earth. My Mum in her latter years was in and out of hospital and gradually losing her independence and mobility and after a while became partially blind. Heather was more than a carer, she became a companion and a friend of the family. She went over and above her caring duties and my family owe her a debt of gratitude for being our rock when we were facing the end.

Macmillan nurses gave us some respite when my mother in law came to live with us, it was an end of life situation. I had no idea that they dealt with non cancer cases until they arrived to sit with her during the night so we could get a rest. They were a god send in her last few weeks with us.

carer for family member saved her life.had to be on constant awareness for suicidal thoughts.had tp help when ptsd panics flared up.had to dress her when she couldn't move for ocd fears
had to sit with her day In and day out when she was too scared to leave the room.
had to carry her when she became too weak from the illness.all done with no moaning.all done with the best care.all by my very best mum.]she had to quit her own job and lost lots more from her life.yet she did it and saved a loved ones life,quite literally everyday.

My son has special needs and has the most amazing 1-1 teaching assistant at school. She's so intuitive and her and my son really get in well. She knows exactly when to step into help and when to stand back so he can gain independence. She's amazing and has made a huge difference to my sons life Andy whole household.

My son has special needs and he has a carer that takes him out and about without me to mix with his peers. She is a fabulous lady, and also used to be his TA. Her sticking by him over the years has given him confidence to go out and about with her support and positivity, and has given him a sense of security which is amazing for a boy who never liked to leave my side.

Carers are not often praised for what they do, and for very little pay. I think this thread and all its comments are just lovely.

I was very unwell a couple of years ago and was overwhelmed by the support and care I had when I really needed it. There were a few couples who we considered acquaintances who showed thier true worth as friends.

My Mum was in an assisted living flat and the staff there went beyond the call of duty

I have ME and recently ended up taking a year off work because I got so ill. Despite the fact I'm in my 20s, I ended up moving home and living with my mum. She did a lot of caring for me and it meant the world :)

My fils carer was wonderful. He used to say that it was like having a friend come to visit. She really helped the whole family come t terms with his diagnosis and was compassionate but honest in what to expect as his condition deteriorated.

We really felt that she saw him as a real person and not just a job and he felt that too - and it really helped him having someone who wasn't family that he could rely on.

After several falls, walking became a challenge for mum. Day to day stuff became really tough so the carer was a godsend for her.

The carer working with my neighbour is wonderful. The other day my neighbour passed out and the carer happened to be there. She called an ambulance, took her to the doctors later, and checked on her regularly. The carer got married a few months ago and invited my neighbour to the wedding. She really deals with her as a friend not a client.

I have been a foster carer for many years and it is worth mentioning that carers themselves often end up supporting other carers and helping them. Secondary trauma creeps up on carers and I really do not know where I would of been without the voluntary support and care that I received from other foster carers. We all help and support one another in many ways and it is that support and caring that enables us to give the best level of care we can give too!

My Mum had the wonderful Samantha who not only dealt with her compassionately and with humour, also put up with my Mum's ridiculously out of date baby advice. She also ignored my Mum's alcoholism and bouts of incoherence - absolutely the right thing to do as she was in the final stages of cancer and there was nothing more to be done.

She was very wise and very caring for one so young. She even came to the funeral and cried as much as we did - reminding us that our difficult, infuriating Mum did have some redeeming qualities.

My partner Paul is my carer. I suffered with severe depression and anxiety after the birth of our son and also had agoraphobia, I became so depressed and anxious that I couldn't leave the house without paul! I have also been diagnosed with lupus since then, although the depression is a lot better than it was I now have this new problem which causes me chronic pain and fatigue. Paul has to look after me some days as I can barely get out of bed. He has stuck by me for 16 years despite him also caring for me. I feel like a burden sometimes :(

My grandad's carers were amazing. It was the little things they did that made us all feel "cared for" rather than just a job. The little thoughtful gifts and cards at Christmas that clearly showed how much they knew my nanna and grandad's likes and dislikes were amazing.

What a great job some carers do- but like I said, when it seems more personal that just a job, is when you know how good they are at that job!

Our nephew has cerebal paulsey and has a carer who they see occasionally. The carers help touches the whole family, giving mum and dad a break and allowing them to have some time focusing on their other children. The carers work makes all the difference.

When my children were little, a volunteer from Homestart helped get me through some difficult times.

My mother in law had a carer who was amazing, an angel