Some of the region’s most giving people were shouted lunch at Carmen’s on Wednesday, as the community pauses to thank all the selfless people out there this National Carers Week.
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There are some 904,000 unpaid carers in NSW, saving the taxpayer over $40 billion a year, while facing a 24/7 and often thankless workplace, although the majority of them such as Tamworth’s Kate Grey wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ms Grey is a secondary carer, behind her parents, for her younger sister Jessie, who lives with Retts Syndrome, which leaves her unable to do some of the most basic self-care tasks, including talking.
The 25 year old Ms Grey is one of very few young carers in the region, and is a Young Carer Representative for Carers NSW.
“It can be very full on, but it is also quite rewarding. I was five when Jessie was diagnosed so it is second nature – that is just the way life was, it was something that we just did,” Ms Grey said.
“I might have missed out on a few things like holidays, but I also gained a lot, like a higher sense of empathy, patience, and a better understanding of people.
“It has been really rewarding to be able to help my family, and to give Jessie that time and love.”
Along with the rewards however come the pitfalls of such a selfless act. Carers are 40 per cent more likely to suffer from a chronic illness because they often fail to look after themselves as well as the people they care for.
“I have learnt the importance of taking care of myself – even taking five minutes for myself to have a bath, meditate, or even go to the doctor or see friends,” Ms Grey said.