I’ve always been a caregiver I guess. I have two siblings who have autism. If you’ve ever had that experience then you know, it’s all day, every day. My role as a caregiver expanded when I was about 16 and my mom had a terrible accident and needed support. Some of the challenges young caregivers face is the lack of information and explanation. How I overcame some of these challenges was I went to university to become a child and youth worker. I became a professional so I could have that explanation and provide that support at home. With training at school, you learn all about the importance of self-care. One of the things that actually works best for me is exclusion. I remove myself from everything – a cup of tea, a book. Me time is really important.
In addition to taking time for yourself, my biggest advice for young caregivers is to find different resources and don’t accept, ‘you don’t need to know that’.
