Caregivers Week: Addressing Caregiving Through Photos

As caregiver week We then met Fiona, a professional photographer from Salford who cares for her husband who has dementia. Fiona has used her photography to help her cope with her caregiving responsibilities, creating a series of photographs that depict a range of emotions that caregivers often feel.

Fiona is a member of the Age UK Salford Caregivers Group and will continue to work on the project entitled ‘Caregiving’. Below, she offers her Enable readers a preview of her work.

I don’t like the word “caregiver”. I am John’s wife and it is my job to take care of him. that’s not me

However, I often feel that the caregiver role has taken over and I am no longer sure who I am. This photo project is about the emotions associated with this role and about reaffirming my identity. Creating images is a helpful way to process and express these feelings to others.

I’m tired of taking care of you. Relentlessly continues 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

No holidays, no sick leave. The procedures for organizing respite care are very complicated. Then, even if other people take care of them, they still worry.

It’s confusing to know what’s best and where to go for help. And I’m not someone who suffers from cognitive decline.

The routines and supports you can put in place are so fragile that even the slightest change means breaking.

So many tasks fall on me. Not only caregiving, but also all routines such as running a house or driving a car. In trying to juggle all this, being John’s wife often gets buried in it all.

we had a great time together. It is very difficult to hold on to memories of the past and build memories of the future together when someone is unable to remember.

For more information, please visit our dedicated Carers Week website. Campaign details and how to participate (www.careersweek.org) or contact Carers UK About access to resources and support (www.carersuk.org0808 808 7777).

all images © : Fiona Robinson/Pictures with Fiona

Follow Enable on social media for the latest news and interviews. twitter, Facebook again Instagram.