A woman has written an open letter to people who look down on carers and says they are not “glorified a** wipers”.
Beth Sturgis, 24, has been a carer for almost four years and says nothing gripes her more than when “naivety” leads people to believe all she does is “wipe bums”.
Now Beth, from Plymouth, Devon, has written a letter to any nay-sayers and shared it online.
The post has since gone viral, and Beth said she is “overwhelmed and shocked” with the reaction to her post, with around 5,000 views.
She wrote: “Today I was a cleaner, a cook, a hand to hold, a friendly face, a washer, a dresser, a helper, a CARER; today I was human.
“Today I helped a man that has lived through the war wash and dress because old age has now hit him and he is unable to walk or do these things for himself.
“His body is ageing faster than his mind, but he is still so positive and always has a smile on his face.
“Today I helped a lady who this time last year was living her life normally to complete her normal daily tasks.
“Because she is now living her life with a cruel disease that has taken over her body and left her unable to do these things for herself, and has confined her to a wheelchair.
“I saw the pain in her eyes, the ‘why me?’, the frustration behind her smile and her braveness and will to live through this.
“Today I administered medication to a lady living life with Alzheimer’s, medication that she doesn’t even know why she’s taking it.
“Medication that I know and that she knows will not prevent the inevitable.
“Medication that will not prevent the fact that one day she may go from not remembering where she put something, to not remembering who her own family are.
“Medication that will not cure this horrible disease because one has not been found yet and it may never be found. Today I saw the fear in her eyes.”
Beth, who works for Bluebird Care, says that her job is in no way “easy” and that she becomes attached to those she cares for.
“I have attended funerals of those I have helped. Those who I have seen twice maybe even four times a day and I have cried at the loss of those lives” Beth said.
“The impact that has on me is sometimes as sad as the loss of my own family, because it is hard to not become attached.
“There are days I come home and cry because of things I have to deal with, things that I cannot control and things that I cannot wave a magic wand and cure.
“But I do this job because I care.”
Beth said that it “annoys her” that her job pays less than those who work in the retail industry, she wouldn’t change it.
“Nothing beats the smile I put on someone’s face” she said.
“The satisfaction you get from making a small difference to someone’s life, to help them live their lives as independently as they can, the feeling of purpose.”
Her post ends: “So yes I may wipe asses, but that is not all I do. I am proud to be a carer and to work in this industry.
“So next time you think that that is all a being a care worker means please think again.
“No I do not save lives, but I sure as hell make them easier for someone to live. To all you carers out there, I salute you.
“They may not remember my name but they will remember what difference I made to their lives and I will go to my grave knowing I did a job that helped others.”
Beth’s post in full
Nothing grips me more than when someone’s refers to careworkers as “glorified ass wipers” or their naivety leads them to believe that that is all we do.
Yes I wipe asses, yes I deal with stuff that not everyone would want to but that is not all I do.
Today I helped a man that has lived through the war wash and dress because old age has now hit him and he is unable to walk or do these things for himself because his body is ageing faster than his mind, but he is still so positive and always has a smile on his face.
Today I helped a lady who this time last year was living her life normally to complete her normal daily tasks because she is now living her life with a cruel disease that has taken over her body and left her unable to do these things for herself and has confined her to a wheelchair.
I saw the pain in her eyes, the “why me?”, the frustration behind her smile and her braveness and will to live through this.
Today I administered medication to a lady living life with Alzheimer’s.
Medication that she doesn’t even know why she’s taking it, medication that I know and that she knows will not prevent the inevitable, medication that will not prevent the fact that one day she may go from not remembering where she put something, to not remembering who her own family are.
Medication that will not cure this horrible disease because one has not been found yet and it may NEVER be found.
Today I saw the fear in her eyes. Today I was a cleaner, a cook, a hand to hold, a friendly face, a washer, a dresser, a helper, a CARER ; today I was human.
I get paid less an hour than someone who stacks shelves in a supermarket, does this annoy me? Yes.
Would I go stack shelves? No. Because nothing beats the smile I put on someone’s face, the satisfaction you get from making a small difference to someone’s life, to help them live their lives as independently as they can, the feeling of purpose.
No my job is not easy, there are days I come home and cry because of things I have to deal with, things that I cannot control and things that I cannot wave a magic wand and cure, and believe me I have a lot of those moments where I pray I could.
I have hard days but I also have amazing days. I have attended funerals of those I have helped, those who I have seen twice maybe even four times a day and I have cried at the loss of those lives.
The impact that has on me is sometimes as sad as the loss of my own family, because it is hard to not become attached.
But I do this job because I CARE.
So yes I may wipe asses, but that is not all I do. I am proud to be a carer and to work in this industry. So next time you think that that is all a being a Care worker means please think again.
No I do not save lives, but I sure as hell make them easier for someone to live. To all you carers out there, I salute you.
They may not remember my name but they will remember what difference I made to their lives and I will go to my grave knowing I did a job that helped others!
EDIT: I am overwhelmed and shocked with the amount of likes, comments and shares my post has received. To all of you who have commented and shared I am sorry I haven’t been able to respond to each and everyone of you personally.
Thank you for your lovely comments and thank you again to each and everyone of the carers out there for all you do. You make the world a better place!!!
Remember that each and everyone of you make a difference in this world including those of you who work in a supermarket, no offence is meant here just a comparison in wages and area of work.
To those considering a role in the care industry I promise you you won’t regret it!! — feeling proud with Bluebird Care – South Hams, Torbay & Plymouth
