When a carer is ill, who looks after their loved ones?

Looking after an elderly member of your family or person with a long term illness can be a physical, mental and emotional strain. With more people being cared for at home with serious illnesses, carers are having to put themselves through these immense pressures.

Partners or family members may need turning to relieve pressure on parts of their bodies, they may need help with washing and applying dressings. This all leads to several people lifting, twisting and turning as they care for their loved ones needs.

But when the carer is poorly and needs a rest or even hospital treatment themselves, where does the help come from? When you have been cared for at home in your own environment with that special mug for your drink and your own music playing in the background, just because you need help turning in bed is a hospital bed really the answer?

Why change from your own duvet and pillow, your own tv programmes, your own meal times? We all know that hospitals are struggling to cater for a generation of people that are living longer, they are under staffed and some times do not have the specialist training they need let alone be able to offer the creature comforts in life.

The Baltic Turning bed has changed many lives enabling people at the touch of a button to turn themselves, sit up and easily access their own bed. This bed has allowed people to stay in the community rather than take up room in a hospital ward. One clients comments sum this up “Dignity is such a rare commodity when one has such a severe disability, and your bed has at least given me some in the most important area of being able to adjust one’s comfort”. Living in the community and being reasonably self sufficient is essential to our well being.