By YASEMIN TALAT
AT the age of 18 Courtney Howard has already been a carer for 11 years.
This week is Carers Week, and a time support and celebrate carers like Courtney, who provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends in need.
She was only seven when she became one of the primary carers for her mother Margaret who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
In 2003, Margaret spent six months in hospital in a critical condition and could no longer walk.
Doctors and nurses thought she might never walk again and suggested she be put in a nursing home.
But the single mother had two young children at home, Courtney and her brother Blake, who was only three at the time.
“MS is quite unpredictable, it’s a deteriorating disease. Because she was so bad it was almost impossible for her to ever be able to walk again,” Courtney said.
“Her option was either go to a nursing home and live out her years there, but she’s a bit stubborn and she decided she wasn’t going to be a victim,” she said.
“But she surprised the doctors and learnt how to walk again and she is still walking to this day.”
Courtney said her mother’s diagnosis was a big shock for the whole family.
“The roles were suddenly reversed,” she said.
“We were the care givers for our care giver.”
“At 7 and 3 we suddenly had been handed the title of parent”.
“The hardest thing was just adapting and leaning that this was life from now on.”
Courtney said despite the challenges over the years her role as a carer to her mother was very rewarding.
“I have a much stronger appreciation not only for my family but also the people around me,” she said.
“I’m a lot more empathetic, understating and a lot more patient,” she said.
Carers Week is held from 13-19 October this year.
For information on events or to donate visit http://www.carersvictoria.org.au/carersweek2013
