When you’re stuck in a house with someone you care for and have no friends or siblings nearby or able/willing to give you a break it’s really hard to get adequate exercise. Time to go to the gym or for a run is no longer available to you. If you need to be in the room with the cared for all the time, which can be the case when caring for someone with dementia or Alzheimers, even jogging up and down the stairs isn’t possible. I recall when I took care of my mum the GP unhelpfully suggested buying an exercise bike or cross trainer and put in it in the room. Where was I going to get the money from to buy it? The GP had never seen the room – there no space to swing a cat let alone install and use a cross trainer.
In the UK anyone who provides or intends to provide a substantial amount of care on a regular basis has a legal right to a carer’s assessment. Once a carer has requested a carer’s assessment, the local council has a duty to carry one out.