CarersExchange is the result of a lot of soul searching and more than a little hard work by Francesca, a mother of three children, one of whom is severely disabled and depends on her care and support 24 hours a day. Despite many years of professional experience working for the NHS, finding herself on the other side of the fence was something very different. However the skills she had learnt in her
career served her well and her experience in clinical care continues to prove invaluable, but as a carer we all know that the physical care is just one part of a much bigger and often far more complex picture. There is paperwork to deal with, research to undertake, questions to ask and jargon to understand, a world of different things that need to be dealt with correctly. Often, the most useful information, the best tips and the most genuine, unbiased and downright useful advice was gleaned from other carers, in hospital cafes and specialist’s waiting rooms. Advice that was given for no other reason than to help...
And so the seeds of the CarersExchange website were sown, a place online where all carers can do exactly that; come together to share information, and to offer advice and support without agenda, to advertise and buy pre-loved equipment, to advertise jobs, events and special offers, a real community. Francesca herself says this: “Often my heart sinks when I meet carers at the start of their journey, as I know what anguish lies ahead as they face a similar rollercoaster ride. For this reason I decided I would find a way to help carers make contact with other carers by setting up an online community”. Unfortunately the 7 million people in the UK who are carers will always face battles, but at least let those battles be easier with readily available information and support. All we really want to achieve is a better quality of life, for us and the individuals we support daily. Knowing who to ask, when to fight and what to say can make all the difference, individually it can often seem that you are all alone, with no voice and little hope.