In January 2019, I wrote this press letter which was published by Today Newspaper. Let’s hope that with the upcoming budget more help can be given for caregivers who travel a very lonely journey.

Caregivers, who have the unenviable and round-the-clock task of providing support to their care recipients, will surely welcome the move by the Ministry of Health in rolling out the much-needed assistance schemes (“Government to defray cost of caregiving and improve respite care for caregivers: Edwin Tong”; Jan 18).

While caregiving is rewarding and noble, caregivers who do not receive adequate support will experience stress and anxiety leading to their own poor mental and physical health.

Some caregivers take on multiple caregiving roles in the family when not everyone is able to share in the duties, possibly because some family members have to look after their own families.

A large number of caregivers have to give up their jobs to provide long-term care to their loved ones and, in the case of those struggling with mental illnesses, the task can be daunting.

With no key social support, it is difficult to help their loved ones to a full recovery and give them a sense of hope.

In Nova Scotia, Canada, under a caregiver benefit programme, the government there gives a monthly allowance to caregivers of low-income adults who have a high level of disability or impairment.

It takes much courage, conviction, sacrifice, love and understanding to provide loving care to sick loved ones, and caregivers do precisely that.

Sadly, most people don’t always appreciate how physically and emotionally taxing it is for these individuals.

Caregivers often make unrecognised contributions to society and are the backbone of our long-term care system. If we did not have family caregivers, our healthcare system would collapse in time to come.

We have to bear in mind that when caregivers lack support, they become isolated and lose the determination to continue in the caregiving journey.

Raymond Anthony Fernando

https://www.todayonline.com/voices/caregivers-can-do-more-social-support