Luke was a young adult carer looking after his mum who has cerebral palsy, epilepsy and mental health issues. He did everything for her, from cooking to sorting out the finances. His dream was to go to university and he juggled studying for his A Levels with caring for his mum. He was also working on a pig farm to earn some extra money for them both. Having a break wasn’t something he even considered. Spending time with friends was rarely possible
When his mum moved into a mobile home for the over 55s, Luke was made homeless and ended up living in a summerhouse in a friend’s back garden. Despite this, he was still caring for his mum. Carer Support Wiltshire stepped in and provided help and support; from ensuring his mum had meals, days out and help from Age UK, to getting that all-important University application completed
It was during this difficult period that Luke’s mental health suffered. Our Young Adult Carer Support Worker, Andrea provided one-to-one support and persuaded him that his dreams to go to University was still possible. She helped guide him through the student finance process and spoke to the University who organised year round accommodation for Luke and some additional funding for living costs. Andrea then approached the local Lions Club on behalf of Luke, who gave him a laptop computer for his studies
Luke is now studying to become a teacher. Giving him a break, when things were tough, like going to the cinema with his pals would have made a real difference
