A full-time carer for her adult daughter, Deer Park resident Patricia is putting her best foot forward to take part in Sunday’s Walk to Care, a four-kilometre fund-raiser for Carers Victoria.
Patricia, who did not want her last name printed, has been heavily involved with Carers Victoria for the past three years and is keen to give something back to everyone who has supported her and her daughter.
“Carers Victoria does a fantastic job for the hundreds of thousands of carers in the community. Without them some of us could say we don’t know where we’d be,” she says.
Patricia says preparing for the event has helped her focus more on herself.
“It’s made me more aware of how important exercise is and that I need to fit that into my life as well,” she says. “It helps because I’ve got depression myself and it [exercise] makes me feel better. To think that I’m contributing to help other carers – and it’s going to be a fun thing to be involved with.”
With her daughter becoming more independent, Patricia says she’s beginning to find more time for other interests.
“I’d like to go back to study. I’ve always had an interest in social work,’’ she says.
“A caring role takes up a lot of your time. It’s a 24/7 job … it’s great for her to become independent and not so reliant on me.’’
Walk to Care is at Coulson Gardens in Maribyrnong from 9am.
