Top tips for young adult carers
Here are five top tips for maintaining your health and wellbeing as a young adult carer.
1.Try to maintain your physical health
Physical health is incredibly important. The Young Adult Carer service has a partnership with York Sport to offer FREE off-peak membership to young adult carers in York. Please call York Carers Centre on 01904 715 490 or email enquiries@yorkcarerscentre.co.uk to find out more.
Staying active and maintaining a healthy diet can bring countless benefits to your health and wellbeing as a carer.
Check out these links!
2. Try to maintain your mental health
Physical and mental health are interconnected – we have just one body, after all!
For more information, support resources, and self-help tips, check the link below.
3. Stay Connected
Staying in contact with friends, family and other support networks can help you feel less isolated when your caring role is making your world feel smaller.
Connecting with other carers is a great way to relieve some of the pressure. While every caring role is different, you may find that others face similar challenges and experiences. When carers come together to take a break from their responsibilities, this is known as peer support. At York Carers Centre, we take great care to create the right environment for peer support to thrive. Check out our Activities page for more information.
4. Vent
As a young person with a caring role, you’re likely to experience a wide range of emotions – frustration, anger, fear, guilt, and shame, but also pride, happiness, and love. Afterall, so many of you do what you for the love of the person you care for.
Find someone you trust and tell them how you’re feeling. If you’re unsure who that person might be, we’re here to help! Sharing your thoughts and emotions can make things clearer and easier to manage. We offer one-to-one support, a CBT and Whole Family Support project, and a Carers Counselling service for when things feel too overwhelming to handle alone.
5. Speak Up
Let the world know what it means to be a young adult carer – because no one understands your life better than you do. If something doesn’t feel right, speak up to those who can make a difference, or take action and campaign for change yourself. And if you’re unsure where to begin, who to reach out to, or how to express your concerns, we’re here to guide and support you every step of the way.
Also check out these links for ways to have your voice heard:
Nothing About Us Without Us – Children and Young People’s Mental Health Advisory Group
