Unsung heroes

‘I get by with a little help from my friends’ is so true!

When thinking of carers, we generally don’t think of the people who help so much by doing little things when they’re really needed. Instead, we think of people who spend all day, or several hours a day with a person.

Friend indeed

But friends are the unsung heroes who aren’t necessarily around every day or hour, but are always there when needed.  I call my closest friends my ‘ad hoc carers’ as they help me out when I really need it. It may be assistance with something as simple as picking up a few groceries, or doing the laundry. To me, that’s being a carer, just as much as if they were helping me 24 hours a day.

Making a difference

I know that I can rely on them and the help they give me makes the difference between getting through a less than great day and not getting through it.  Because they’re mates, we don’t necessarily look upon them as carers, and a lot of what they do probably falls within the remit of being a good friend, but it’s also so much more than that.  

Recognising this, Carers UK has defined carers as people who "provide unpaid care by looking after an ill, frail or disabled family member, friend or partner".

They probably don’t realise how important and vital the small pieces of help they provide are, and I should probably tell them more often just what a difference they make! 

Hidden impact

It’s the smallest bits of help that have the most impact. At times, without my friends, I’d be lost – they’re the vital, unsung heroes and ‘hidden’ carers of this world. Thank goodness for people like them!