“My days are long and the responsibility constant, but like many carers, I just get on with it, because there’s love involved.”
These are the words of Gule Hanid, an unpaid carer living in Ealing, who supports a number of family members who have serious health conditions.
To mark National Carers’ Week, Around Ealing spoke to Gule about what it means to be a carer. The theme of this year’s national campaign is ‘caring about equality’.
Gule’s story
Gule looks after her 40-year-old sister, who is paralysed, deaf and has complex epilepsy and cognitive impairments. She also looks after her mother, 70, who has limited mobility following a stroke, and her elderly father, 87, who is diabetic and frail. Gule had also been caring for her brother, who had a similar condition to her sister. before he died.
“It was a huge emotional blow,” she said. “But grief had to take a back seat because life doesn’t stop when you’re a carer.”
For many, the emotional toll of having to care for a struggling loved one is too much to fathom, let alone 4. But alongside this, Gule and other carers have been contributing to the new Ealing Carers Strategy, making positive changes so carers like themselves receive the best help possible.
She feels that her input into the strategy has validated her experiences as a carer. She said: “I feel more seen and supported by local services.”
“Being involved in decisions around hospital discharges and care plans is vital,” she added.
“I know my sister’s needs inside out, and it makes a difference when professionals respect and include me as a partner in her care.”
The reality of caring
Gule has a paid job and works 5 days a week and cares for her family the rest of the time.
“I sleep at my parents’ home every night to make sure everything’s ok. My social life is non-existent, and even a short few hours in my own flat – just across the road – feel like a luxury,” she said.
There are a number of organisations like Ealing Council working across the borough to support carers through different initiatives. You can find more about those here.
Gule said: “The strategy’s focus on carers’ wellbeing really resonates. Like many in my position, I juggle physical strain and emotional exhaustion. Knowing that respite, mental health support and peer groups like the Carer’s Café are being invested in gives me hope for some breathing space.”
Meanwhile, Gule, praised the strategy’s commitment to helping carers navigate financial support like benefits, direct payments and flexible employment.
She added: “These are lifelines that help us sustain the care we give.”
Are you a carer like Gule?
There is lots of support at hand. Services like Contact Ealing and the Ealing Carers Hub help carers apply for:
- carer’s allowance
- transport support (e.g., Blue Badges, Taxicards
- employment rights and flexible working guidance
Find out more
Read about Carers’ Week events and other support on the Around Ealing website.
