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Parent carer Patricia was part of a group of 22 women who met on a weekly community Zoom meeting, who collectively decided to write a book called Life Inna Lockdown 2020 – Behind Closed Doors.
I am carer for my 26-year-old son who has autism and learning difficulties. I have been a member of Carers in Bedfordshire for around 15 years and it has been an invaluable service.
My son lives at home and attends a day centre each day, which provides brilliant respite. I also have a daughter, who felt the brunt of having an older sibling with a disability growing up, but she has come through unscathed! She really benefitted from being part of the young carers group.
When lockdown came along, it threw all routines and coping mechanisms out the window. There were the ‘highs and lows’, but I had to be strong for myself and family. I became part of a group that met every Thursday on zoom and we still meet even today, albeit once a month. The group decided to put our experiences into print, in an anthology of personal stories.
In chapter 15, entitled ‘Challenging Change’, I record the changes that were happening in my life as a mother, carer and teaching assistant. I express my fears, but celebrate getting through having my son at home 24/7 for 14 weeks. I had to get a grip and re-arranged my house into an ‘autism centre.’ I put a desk with resources in my hallway. I created games in the house and got out all his favourite things, such as his electric keyboard.
Through writing the book we formed a sisterhood with some amazing women and our special friendship lives on forever.
Life Inna Lockdown 2020 – Behind Closed Doors (Dee Bailey) is available from Amazon.
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