Nadine’s story: fabric, focus and finding balance
Nadine lives with her husband and young family, and she also supports her mother, who has dementia and a physical disability. As her mum’s care needs increased and changed frequently, Nadine began to feel the strain more intensely.
Nadine describes caring as a mix of emotional challenges, such as stress, worry, and loneliness. She often found herself consumed by thoughts about her mum’s health and the uncertainty of the future, making it difficult to switch off.
From her early conversations with her local carers' centre, it became clear that the most meaningful break for Nadine would be one where she could learn a new skill and have something to show for it. She shared her passion for sewing, creating, and making her home feel warm and welcoming.
With thanks to a Time to Live microgrant, she was able to attend a monthly half‑day upholstery course and thanks to the support of her husband and friends, she was able to take part consistently.
“I am so appreciative of the grant I received. It gave me the chance to have planned breaks something to look forward to and time away from caring for Mum. Looking forward to even half-a-day a month made such a difference and kept me going through some very difficult moments.”
Find out more about Time to Live here.
Nadine said:
“For me, having this dedicated time away was vital for my mental health. The added bonus was that when I came back, I had something different to talk about with Mum and that really helped our conversations.”