It’s important to tell your friends about your caring role and how it affects you so they can understand and support you. It might not be easy to know where to start, especially if you haven’t been open about it in the past, but it’s important to be honest.
Even if you’ve known someone for a long time, they may not be aware of the extent of your caring role and how it affects you. Many carers are affected physically and emotionally by what they do. If this is the case for you, simply sharing this with someone may ease the pressure.
People are also more likely to offer support if they know how much you do and what you need. Even if your friends are carers, they may have a completely different support network and their experience of caring may be very different to yours. Don't assume that what you do is obvious to other people.
If you talk to them about what caring entails, your friends are far more likely to understand that you may struggle to set up social plans or need to cancel plans because of your caring responsibilities.
Finding time
If you're struggling to find time to spend with your friends face to face, try to maintain phone or email contact with them to make sure your life doesn’t become overwhelmed and defined by your caring role.
You may find it helpful to make friends within your caring community. This doesn’t have to mean your local community. Many carers find it helpful to register with a carers' forum and share experiences online.
Watch the videos below to find out how some carers of people with dementia dealt with their relationships.
