Wendy's Story
My name is Wendy and I’m retired now, having been a Mess Manager with the British Army for 22 years. I recently moved back home to Dunfermline after living in Berkshire for some years. My husband, Graeme, has been suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for some time and, and anyone who knows anything about MS will tell you, this is a condition that continues to get worse as time goes on.
I am Graeme’s main carer but we have support through SDS which I first became aware of through a social worker back in Berkshire. When we decided to move back home, there was negotiations between Berkshire and Fife Council to have a package in place for Graeme when we did eventually move.
But what a difference SDS makes – Graeme’s now more relaxed, happy and secure. We have a great relationship with the care, staff who we employ through an agency (this also means I don’t have to bother about all the tax and insurance and stuff!). With having this team of carers, we have consistency and flexibility which suits everyone. We believe in making sure that the carers are well supported – we negotiated wages and working conditions with the agency to ensure that everyone was treated properly. They’re doing a demanding job and I know we wouldn’t manage without them.
I can’t begin to imagine what things would be like without SDS – these staff are worth their weight in gold, they really are! Without them, or the flexibility that SDS gives you, I know that Graeme wouldn’t be as comfortable with his care and I would certainly be finding things much more stressful. I also get great support from the Fife Carers’ Centre in Kirkcaldy – they’ve been really tremendous.
I think that what’s often overlooked is the need for the main carer to look after themselves. I know that, in the beginning, I felt that looking after Graeme was my responsibility and mine alone – our family asked me to look at getting some support but I didn’t feel this would be right. Unsurprisingly, my own health began to suffer. It wasn’t until the social worker in Berkshire pointed out to me what might be possible under SDS that I realised I couldn’t do this on my own. It’s common sense really – for me to be any use to Graeme, I also need to look after my own health.
SDS has allowed both us to lead better lives as a result while still making sure that the proper care is in place. It’s worth looking into!
I am Graeme’s main carer but we have support through SDS which I first became aware of through a social worker back in Berkshire. When we decided to move back home, there was negotiations between Berkshire and Fife Council to have a package in place for Graeme when we did eventually move.
But what a difference SDS makes – Graeme’s now more relaxed, happy and secure. We have a great relationship with the care, staff who we employ through an agency (this also means I don’t have to bother about all the tax and insurance and stuff!). With having this team of carers, we have consistency and flexibility which suits everyone. We believe in making sure that the carers are well supported – we negotiated wages and working conditions with the agency to ensure that everyone was treated properly. They’re doing a demanding job and I know we wouldn’t manage without them.
I can’t begin to imagine what things would be like without SDS – these staff are worth their weight in gold, they really are! Without them, or the flexibility that SDS gives you, I know that Graeme wouldn’t be as comfortable with his care and I would certainly be finding things much more stressful. I also get great support from the Fife Carers’ Centre in Kirkcaldy – they’ve been really tremendous.
I think that what’s often overlooked is the need for the main carer to look after themselves. I know that, in the beginning, I felt that looking after Graeme was my responsibility and mine alone – our family asked me to look at getting some support but I didn’t feel this would be right. Unsurprisingly, my own health began to suffer. It wasn’t until the social worker in Berkshire pointed out to me what might be possible under SDS that I realised I couldn’t do this on my own. It’s common sense really – for me to be any use to Graeme, I also need to look after my own health.
SDS has allowed both us to lead better lives as a result while still making sure that the proper care is in place. It’s worth looking into!