Louise Thompson found herself living in what she called a ‘triangle of hell’ – juggling home, work and caring her parents who lived 300 miles away. Having now launched her own app to provide respite for carents, she believes The Carents Room is an ‘invaluable’ asset for anybody going through the same experience as her.
“Both my parents were diagnosed with dementia – and everything changed.
“I had a great corporate career, operating at Board level.
“But by 3pm, I’d sometimes tell colleagues I was off to finish writing a report at home.
“In reality, I was making a 300-mile trip to the North East to care for my parents, with a hope to squeeze in the report at some point”
“It was exhausting. I was working in one county, living in another and then driving to the other end of the country in my spare time – a process I called my ‘triangle of hell’.
“I was juggling all my roles – at work, in my personal life, and as a daughter – and I wasn’t doing any of them well.
“I was so tired, I’d start falling asleep at the wheel en route.
“Often, my dad would ring seeking help with basic things like changing the TV. To see them go through what they did was heartbreaking, but it also took a huge toll on me.
“That’s why The Carents Room is such a lifeline for those in the same boat I was.
“I remember being unable to sleep in my parents’ living room at 5am, desperately looking for some help.
“The Carents Room is one of the resources I’d been searching for. It has all the resources and guidance you could need under one roof, and having an outlet to talk with someone – or have a vent – is invaluable.
“Dementia is such a cruel condition. You think it is going to just be memory loss, but it is worse than you imagine. There are so many facets to it.
“I also knew time with my parents was limited, and after Dad died in 2020, sadly Mum got even worse.
“The whole experience was really hard and I just wanted some rest.
“That’s why I was inspired to create my own app, Myfolks, the other resource I’d been search for, to provide that respite that I so badly needed.
“My experience was hard, but I got through it – now I’m just thrilled there is more support for the UK’s carents, and The Carents Room is such a wonderful asset for them all.”