It’s hard to know when I became a carer, which seems to echo other people’s experience. I became aware of it more over the last few years. I am a carer for my mum and during the pandemic I took on more responsibilities, chaperoning, household duties and admin.
Before I started caring, I used to travel and walk a lot and enjoyed yoga. I’ve kept up the walking but not travel or yoga as I find it hard to find the time whilst working full-time and caring more for mum.
I found that doing activities online has been a way to be more active and I like trying new things, so I signed up for a Carers UK Flexercise session in July. I enjoyed the pace and flow of movement and felt great afterwards. Having music to accompany the movements also made me feel good. I decided to do FLexercise weekly as it was simple, online and within my ability and required no equipment and I can catch up with the recording if I miss the live session. From doing weekly FLexercise sessions, I have noticed more flexibility and strength which are two areas I wanted to work on and a more relaxed body.
Being at home a lot and following the pandemic, I found that walking and being out in nature supported my mental health, as does talking to people and connecting with others online. There’s something about movement within a community that both motivates and improves my health and there’s not always words to describe that.
Connecting with others on Zoom activities, including the wealth of sessions that Carers UK offers, has certainly made me feel more connected and understood without having to explain my situation or travel anywhere.
I have learnt to make it a priority to take time for myself. Sometimes I go for a walk, read, chat to a friend or neighbour, join a support group in person or online, sleep, paint, write a short story or journal. Otherwise, the day gets swallowed up by other things and I get irritable and resentful which is a normal response when I don’t make time for me in my life. I want to love and cherish the time I have with mum and that needs to begin with loving and cherishing myself. Therapy and self-reflecting help me to consider if what I have always done is still working for me and allows me to consider making changes one step at a time.
Louise’s top tips for keeping active during a busy day
I’ve found that doing some simple short exercises when I am doing regular tasks helps me stay more active:
- brushing my teeth (standing on one leg to improve my balance)
- waiting for kettle to boil (standing squats or lunges)
- hanging out washing (stretching)
- whilst sitting down (simple chair exercises) and mum also joins in
- setting a 30-minute timer when sitting so that I am reminded to stand and walk or stretch so that I am not sitting for too long
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