Carer Sandra Jones protests in the Octagon, Dunedin,
yesterday for better recognition and support for family
carers. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
For love, Sandra Jones donned a fluorescent orange suit
and protested for the rights of family carers in the Octagon,
Dunedin, yesterday.
For love, she wakes at 7am each day to toilet, shower, dress,
feed and care for of her 36-year-old daughter, Kerry.
For love, she and her husband sacrifice holidays, outings and
financial security.
But Mrs Jones is fed up with being forced - along with
thousands of others - to care for family members simply for
love as the Government refuses to acknowledge the unpaid work
they do.
"I love her, but it's exhausting. It's like having a child
for ever," she said.
She works three days a week to supplement her husband's
income, but only during the school term when Kerry attends
adult classes for the disabled.
More than 420,000 New Zealanders care for ill, frail, injured
or disabled family members and friends, performing humane and
necessary work with an economic value of more then $7
billion.
A group of parents won a recent court case seeking
reimbursement to care for their adult children, but the
Government is appealing the decision.
Health Minister Tony Ryall has said paying parents to care
for their disabled children would cost $640 million a year, a
sum the nation could not afford, while independent
assessments put the figure at $17 million, she said.
"I'm sick of this Government. They are paying millions to
appeal this decision and it's crazy."
Mrs Jones believed $200 a week would suffice to "give me that
freedom".
"I don't know if I would actually claim it, but I think other
parents should be allowed to.
"It's not a case of us actually wanting the money; it's a
case of being able to have a break," she said.
During her protest, she distributed postcards for the We Care
carers campaign lobbying Prime Minister John Key to provide
better recognition and support for family carers.
ellie.constantine@odt.co.nz
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.