She should have retired
She should be doing as she wishes
She should be just Gran
to a grown-up grandchild

But she’s not

She’s stepping in —
again —
filling the gaps where others should be

Not out of duty
Out of love
Out of fear of what happens if she doesn’t 🪡

Is the real reason @rightmove doesn’t have accessibility filters - because there are so few accessible homes for younger disabled people, it’s easier to hide that?

Add the filters
Show the reality
Maybe then the government & developers would start taking access seriously

#carersweek

Are unpaid carers really close to governments heart as Liz Kendall claimed this week.

#Unpaidcarerreality

“She’ll be safe,” they said.

But the moment you turn your back, your complex-needs child is at risk — because staff aren’t trained, protocols aren’t followed, and documents are ignored.

So you stay. 24/7. Because no one else is equipped.

“Just ask when you need a break,” they said.

I did.

“Sorry, staff haven’t turned up today — we can give you half an hour.”

Half an hour of rest in a 24-hour shift, doing meds, hygiene, advocacy, crisis care.

If I were employed, this would be illegal.🧵

“Let us know when she’s home & you are caring for her,” said the @DWPgovuk case handler.

But I was already caring — 24/7 in hospital, doing meds, feeding, fluids, personal care.

Hospital stepped back because they didn’t have the staff or training 🧵

Visiting hours? Only if you’re not an unpaid carer.

@NHSEngland hospitals rely on parent-carers to stay 24/7 — doing meds, care, and crisis management — because trained staff aren’t available.

No pay. No rest. No choice.

This isn’t sustainable. It’s exploitation. 🧵

Dear @NHSEngland — this is what’s happening in your hospitals.

Parent-carers doing meds, fluids, and care 24/7 while clinical staff “step back.”

No breaks. No pay. No safeguarding. Just assumption we’ll stay — whatever the cost to us.

This isn’t care. It’s exploitation.🧵

4am. Still caring.

This is what unpaid care really looks like — exhausted parents sleeping on camp beds, doing meds, hygiene, and crisis care while staff wake us to ask about lunch.

Thousands of us are caring beyond any paid job. But @DWP still stops our support 🧵

Multitasking - whilst staff step back. Did they ask me? No.
Is it because it’s better for the long person or because they know they aren’t trained and don’t have the skill

So, why do DWP take benefits away when you’re providing more hours than any paid medical professional? 🧵

Visual story of our hospital stay at start of year

Hospital admitted today: “Staff sometimes take a step back & leave the loved one or carer to provide much of the care.”

That carer was me

Stayed 24/7 doing all care while @DWP stopped both PIP & CA

Reality of unpaid care 🧵

An unpaid carer is never off duty, hour after hour, year after year

Inspirational woman #InternationalWomensDay2025

Dr Olive Scott @TheBHF @CHSurgeryFund @HeartSomerville

#DrOliveScott #Killingbeck #CHD
history.rcp.ac.uk/inspiring-phys…