BOOK REVIEW - from a Carers perspective

“Stress Proof your Life” by Elizabeth Wilson.  Published by The Infinite Ideas Company Limited 2005, second edition 2007.  Price £12.99.  ISBN 978-1-905940-06-6

Initially I thought I don’t have time to read a book about de-stressing my life, then on the back cover it said “this is for people who struggle to find time for a shower much less a bath” and thought maybe this is relevant for me. 
I felt unlike “The Selfish Pig’s Guide to Caring” it lacked a certain authenticity.

There were indeed lots of good ideas especially for me who never had a mother who valued tidiness.  She led a busy and rewarding life until she died.

However I like many 24-hour carers, have to spend more time than I enjoy in the house. The untidiness of it does get to me so the suggestions she made about always leaving the kitchen sink area clear when you go to bed actually is a good idea and one to which I would never have given a moment’s thought.

Odd things like having a basket at the front door to throw keys, mobile, blue cards, etc into, is excellent.

I am usually so preoccupied in getting my partner out of the car up the steps, coat off, into the loo, that I drop vital equipment in all kinds of places and waste hours looking for them which sets up more anxiety “did I actually leave the keys in the door and someone has taken them?”

Generally I feel sceptical about the frequent references to “research has shown” or “it has been proved”, which feel like rather sloppy writing and leave me unconvinced.

Incidentally my daughter who is an intermittent carer for her father thought it was a wonderful book but she has a lot more time to herself than I have.

Glenys Thomas formerly tutor on DipSw/CSS/CQSW and Lecturer in Group Work in the West Midlands before becoming a carer.