'You just need a day off,' long-term carer says
BBCA woman who cares for her husband with dementia has told the BBC that carers in Jersey need to be provided with more respite support from the government.
Mary Osmond has been caring for her husband for seven years and said sometimes "you just need a day off".
Her comments come as politicians are set to debate a budget amendment on Wednesday which if passed would see more money given to fund respite breaks for carers.
The amendment by Deputy Karen Wilson has proposed that £525,000 of the money allocated for the future assisted dying service should instead be used to fund respite support.
Mary Osmond, 76, lives in St Saviour with her husband of 26 years, Sam.
She has been caring for him since his dementia diagnosis.
Mrs Osmond told BBC Radio Jersey she "loves" caring for him but is "frustrated" by the lack of support for carers in Jersey, particularly when it comes to respite.
She said: "To just have a day where you can switch off and you know the person you have been caring for is safe, well and happy, because you can't enjoy yourself if the other person isn't happy."
"I sometimes say to Sam I want a day off, but respite should be paid for by the government if someone isn't getting carer's allowance.
"I don't get any government support."
While the government offers the home carer's allowance in Jersey it is for people of working age and as Mrs Osmond is receiving a pension, she is not eligible.
'Take a break'
Deputy Karen Wilson is proposing an amendment to the government budget so that £525,000 is available to provide respite for carers.
Wilson said: "There are many people in the island that care 24 hours a day for their loved ones and they don't get the time to just focus on themselves and very often they fall ill.
"Of course when someone who cares for somebody else falls ill that means the whole care structure falls down.
"And respite care, being able to just take a break from that responsibility, is an important part of how you maintain health and well being for people who care for loved ones on a twenty-four-hour basis."
This month, the government announced five key priorities to support carers including better signposting of the support available to them.
The Social Security Minister Deputy Lyndsay Feltham told the BBC that "while the long term care fund does provide for respite for carers", improved provision was needed.
"I know that one area in the work we are doing is the provision of respite and the ability to access respite.
"So yes that is something that does need addressing but when it comes to the budget taking money from the assisted dying budget is the wrong thing to do.
"I'm worried that people aren't always informed about the provision of services available to them."
"It's really important that people who are caring for someone and aren't getting support through long term care to get them additional domiciliary support or respite, I would encourage them to contact my department to ensure they are receiving everything they are entitled to."
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