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About

Thanks for visiting my website, Looking After Mom and Dad. My name is Gareth and I have spent over 14 years as a full time carer to both my Mom and Dad.

This website has been created to help anyone who is a caregiver, or thinking of becoming a caregiver, and is where I share all that I have learned over the years

Hopefully the website will help you find the information you need, easily and quickly.

 

My Experience

 

My Dad had a motor neuron disease, and with my Mom, I looked after him, around the clock, for three years up until his death.

Looking after Dad, I had to learn to do everything for him, as he was slowly lost many of his voluntary motor functions, his sense of balance, developed dysphagia, and also suffered with some form of dementia for about the last 18 months. I washed, dressed,  cooked, fed, and toileted him, as well as helping him to walk, sit and stand.

Looking after my Mom for the last 11 years, not through illness, but rather in old age – she is now 93 and a half, and cannot do many of the tasks on her own due to poor mobility, vision, hearing, arthritis, and a problem with constant dizziness, all of which are frighteningly common at Mom’s age.

I have had to learn many of the different aspects of caregiving, particularly for my Dad, and was also instructed by registered nurses who provided any medical home care which he may have needed during his illness, on a twice-weekly basis.

 

My previous life

 

I am an artist by profession, and have worked professionally for over 25 years for private clients – though now I have little time for art work, and have chosen to build this website, and write all the material etc., in the free time that I have. 

If you want to see what I used to do, you can take a look at my other website – https://williamstudios.com