lots of trouble sleeping 

Anger as an emotion is often seen of as negative, but although it can be destructive, there can be a plus side. Anger is a powerful emotion and, channelled in the right direction, can lead to amazing things.

We've come up with 5 people who used their anger and frustration to bring about some pretty major positive changes…

1.       Mary Webster…

 Last week we had to say goodbye to an old friend who has been an integral part of our lives for the last few years. Someone who was always at the other end of a telephone; whose wisdom was often sought when we didn't know which way to turn, whose cool demeanour was often in contrast to my panic. Her witty comments and dry sense of humour added colour to an otherwise drab day. Her hard work, committment and dedication is second to none. Her determination is matched by steely resolve, her…

Money can be a major cause of worry, so this January, as part of a resolution to reduce your stress levels, why not make a commitment to organise your finances and make sure that you are getting all that you are entitled to?

Every year millions of pounds of carers’ benefits are unclaimed, so make sure you’re not missing out by reading about what’s available below.

1. Carer’s Allowance

This is the main benefit for carers,…

The heroes of the past and present aren't that hard to find

Soldiers, medics, fire fighters, or the accidental kind

Olympians and nurses, we know the things they do

Peace bringers and teachers, and many others too

But some, they are not recognised - their sacrifices never known

How they care no matter what, more often all alone

Looking after loved ones, every day and through the night

Helping them to live their lives, making sure they…

sometimes I feel really guilty asking for help to care for my disabled son. I feel as though its my job, as a mum, to do everything for him any way.  Dont all mums have to?  I keep having to remind myself (and sometimes other people have to remind me) that the caring I need to do for my disabled son is above and beyond anything I've had to do for my two other sons. I guess I feel that I' m not a good enough mum if I don' t do it all, especially as a single parent, I feel I have more to…

Matt Hill, Communications Manager at Carers UK, gives 5 tips for managing caring in the festive season.



Many carers tell Carers UK that they find Christmas harder than other times of the year, with limited services, tight budgets and family tensions being just a few of the stress-causing factors. Here are five things carers could think about beforehand to ensure the Christmas period runs that bit more smoothly…



1 – Stock up

Do you have…

Well it's been a busy summer. 

We have a new CEO Christopher Geake who has taken over from Maggie Bromage. We have organised many events and have a trip to this year's panto lined up also. 

As always we continue to look for sources of funding to grow the work we do providing support to carers in the City and Hackney. 

Busy in my caring role, many things slip by

I don't achieve all that I've planned no matter how I try

Always playing 'catch up', responding late to matters

Always there's a back log…

- Letters to be written

- Phone calls to make

- Family to visit

- Appointments to attend

- Assessments… SCREAM!

My plans end up in tatters

Juggling this and juggling that trying to fit it in

I need a few more hours and to know…

Hi everyone. I have been a carer for my wife for several years but earlier this year had a couple of health setbacks myself. A real culture shock for me and brought home the importance of keeping one eye on your own health. Makes you really appreciate how invaluable the carer 'package' is!

Saw an interesting report about the importance of capturing the memories and life stories of your parents. I thought I would share it as it may be relevant for those of you caring for a friend or family member with dementia.

Capturing family memories is important as it prevents family history being lost and it can be a crucial resource should any family members be living with dementia.…

The Olympics and Paralympics have finished, but I still have to complete my marathon of filling up the tables and getting “bums on seats” for what should be a fun evening.  We have had some amazing auction gifts donated, (see my website and still more have been promised but not received yet) so with just one lap to go and I need people to attend the charity dinner, dance and auction in aid of Dementia UK on Friday 12 October at Brocket Hall Golf Club, Welwyn,…

Everything I read seems to imply that, as her carer, I should love my mother who is now 90, blind, deaf, frail and with little short-term memory. But I don't!

My heart sinks every morning when I find she is still here.

She always swore she wouldn't live to be 88. She vowed she would never become a burden. She prays every night that this will be the time she dies.

The mother I loved died years ago. This is just a shambling empty shell that is draining my life and my…

Carer's corner

This can be found on our own website www.thebowelmovement,co.uk -

I became a carer overnight that, although it changed our life dramatically (involving selling our farm and business for an adapted cottage etc.), it changed not for the worse, but simply moved it into a different direction. We both had to make enormous adaptations…

Look up “Carer Learning on the web” –the results are SO boring !!! Why ???

The traditional image of carers is that they are tired worn down - living an unimaginably dull overloaded life; the…

I have been a member here for a while, this is my first blog,

We have been going  through a stressful time over the past few weeks, my  family  member who i care foe has taken a dip in health and not  doing  well, I care for my  daughter who is in her mid teens,

I di still manage to hold down my  part-time job which is my life saver.how do you cope with being on call 24/7 never knowing  what the day  will hold or how it will be?

A big thank you to everyone who has posted healthy recipes over the past few weeks.

You have until Friday afternoon (10 August) to enter, so keep them coming.

I just thought that I would list some of the great recipes we have recieved so far. Please try them out and let us know what you think.

Chicken, chorizo and veg

by janice…

In the run up to this year’s Carers Week a partnership of eight charities, including Carers UK, set out to explore the impact of caring on carers’ health and well-being.

The report ‘In Sickness and in Health’ showed that a shocking 83% of carers have seen a negative impact on their physical health, 87% reported caring taking a toll on their mental health, and over a third had suffered a physical injury as a result of caring.

When asked what was to blame for this…