This is the story of Keith, who looks after his frail aged grandfather

Name: Keith
Age: 9 Years Old
Sex: Male
(Note: this is a fictional content and story but typical of a Young Carer)

Brief Overview of Family
Who is in my family? Where do I live? How would I describe my family?

My family has my Nan, my Pop, my Dad, my 11 year old sister Sammy and me living in the same house. But my Auntie and Uncle live only two blocks away with my four cousins.

We live in a really small town out in Western NSW called Brewarrina. There's only about 1500 people in our whole town and the closest place to go for a big shop is in Bourke which is an hours drive away.

My family is cool. We spend heaps of time together and like to play games or have big dinners together.

I fight with my sister a bit, but that's just because she's been really bossy since Mum died and she tells me what to do all the time.

Who do you care for? 

I take care of my Pop a lot because he has dementia and  that means that sometimes he's forgetful. Like this one time he got up early in the morning and started walking into town thinking he was 10 years old and was going off to school.

Pop sometimes walks away from our house and doesn't know where he is, which makes us all worried. We had to put a lock on the gate to keep him in, which makes me pretty sad cos a person shouldn't have to be locked up.

I love my Pop - especially when we go fishing together. We sit near the river and he tells me the same joke like ten times, but I still laugh. Sometimes it's hard because we live in a small town and there's no-one around to help when things are bad.  

 

 

When did you start being a YC? Why?

I started taking care of Pop a lot more almost a year ago. When Mum died three years ago, Dad looked after Pop. But now Dad works away in Mt. Isa in the mines so that we have more money for things, so now I help Nan look after Poppy. I guess though that I have always been helping look after Pop, even when Mum was alive.

How do you feel about being a YC?
Describe in detail.

I like looking after Pop because he tells some great stories about when he was about my age. He sometimes gets confused and thinks that I am Dad, so I get out the picture of our family and him just to remind him who we are.

Even though I like having fun with Pop, there are times when he really annoys me. When he wanders off and we can't find him, I have to ride my bike all round Brewarrina to try to find him.

I like helping Nan and Dad too. They always tell me how good I am and that they're proud of me. I don't really like some of the housework that I have to do, especially the vacuuming. But Nan's getting older and can't do as much as she used to. I know I would rather be kicking a footy but feel better knowing I am helping her.


How do you look after yourself? What do you do to relax and take time out?

My Uncle Rob is the coach of the junior AFL team so he takes me and my cousin to training once a week and also takes us to games in other towns on Saturday mornings. I love AFL and I want to play for Saint Kilda when I am older. I love Spider Everitt the best, I always pretend to be him when I play. I'm pretty upset though cos he left my team to go play for the Swans.

Peter "Spider" Everitt

Once a month my Pop goes to a nursing home, just to give my Nan and me a break. I go to the pool with my cousins and Nan goes shopping or to coffee with her friends. It's good for Pop too, he is always a little happier when he gets back from the old peoples home.

What do you do to maintain good health and well-being?

My Auntie cooks me, Nan and Pop our dinners for the week. Aunt Pauline always tells me that I'm no good to anyone if I don't eat proper. I play heaps of sport at school and AFL keeps me fit, so I do look after myself pretty good.

How do you deal with stress?

I only really get stressed when Pop goes missing. I worry that he won't know where he and he'll get scared or that something bad will happen and none of us will be there. I talk to Dad on the phone when I am a bit stressed out and he always makes me feel better. My sister comes and sits with me too when I am worried. She can be really cool sometimes cos she knows what's going on. 


Do you have any concerns about coping at school? Other studies? At work?

I am okay at school. I love P.E. And English cos I like reading. There are times when I don't get my homework in on time, but my teacher, Mrs Shaw is pretty nice and knows that stuff is a bit hard. I worry about how I will get my homework in when I am in high school, cos I heard that you get heaps more in year 7.


How do you deal with emergencies?

In emergencies, Nan and I talked to each other and made a phone list so I can call my Aunt and Uncle or the police if my Pop goes missing. We also have Pop's doctor’s number in case me or Sammy need to ask anything. He even said we can call him at home if we wanna know something or if Pop is in trouble.


Describe your network of support? Do you have any?

I get a lot of support. When Dad is here he always takes over and gives Nan, Sammy and me a break. He always feels bad about being away, but we know it's good cos he won't find no work in Brewarrina. My Aunt Pauline and Uncle Rob are real cool too, they help lots and always come round to visit.

Even though there is less to do here than other big towns, I am glad that I live in a small town. It means that everyone kinda knows the go with Pop and is able to help or asks to help all the time.

Sammy tries to help as much as she can. But normally she just likes to lock herself in her room and listen to her music.


Values

•  Family values…what would your family values statement be:

My family would say have fun and love each other.

•  Attitude to others:

We are always nice to other people and in Brewarrina everyone waves to each other in the street or stops to have a chat.

•  Membership of Organisations?

I am a member of the Brewarrina Lions AFL club and I also do swimming club sometimes.

•  How do you view:

o Money?
I don't have to worry about money cos Dad looks after all the bills. He also puts money in our account so that we can go shopping for food and so that we have enough money for clothes and school and stuff. 

o Possessions?
I don’t really have a whole lot of stuff.  The most important things to me are my AFL ball and footy jumper and also the new Playstation 2 that Dad bought me.

St. Kilda Jumper

o Religion?
We don’t go to Church or anything like that unless it is Christmas or something.

o Marriage?
I don’t ever think about Marriage.  Give me a break!!! I’m only nine!

o Politics
Same as marriage.

Skills

Personal Skills Audit

•  Communication 
My teacher told me I’m real good at speaking in front of the class, which is good cos I was really scared when I heard I had to give a speech.

•  Negotiation
I am always doing negotiation with my Pop. Even if it’s taking him to bed, sometimes I have to spend ages talking him into going to sleep at night.

•  Numerical
I don’t really like maths so I am not very good at it, though Nan is trying to help me get better.

•  Technological
I am pretty good on computers and I am getting really good on the Playstation.  I reckon Dad will be in trouble when I play him next.

•  Social
I have a fair few friends, especially the guys on my footy team.  They also go to my school so we play kicking games at lunch.

•  Physical
I am a really fast runner and I normally like to play in the front pocket.  In that position it means that I get to kick heaps of goals.

St. Kilda Signed Football

•  Creative
I’m not real creative.  My sister Sammy is though, she is good at painting and I reckon she is a pretty good singer too.

•  Leadership
I think one day I will be a good leader, but only being 9 I don’t get to lead much at the moment.

•  Practical 
I have learnt to do lots of things since Dad went away to work.  When Dad’s gone I have to help fix some of the stuff around the house. Uncle Rob shows my how to do things so that I can do them myself the next time that they need fixing.

•  Home Duties 
Even though I don’t like housework I have gotten pretty good at it. I know how to do the washing and hang it out, I do the dishes all the time, I clean the bathroom and the kitchen and Nan is slowly teaching me how to cook different things so that Auntie Pauline one day won’t have to cook as much for us.




Qualifications/Certificates

I am only in year 4 so I don’t have any stuff like that yet.  But I do want to get an AFL coaching certificate one day and in year 6 I will be allowed to do my bronze medallion and first aid course.

Personality Traits:

• Very patient, especially with all the things we deal with every day with Pop.

• Lots of fun and energetic

• Able to bounce back quickly and be okay

• Pretty old for my age

• Good at sports

Physical Traits

I am not the tallest kid in my class but I reckon one day I will be even taller than Dad.  He’s 5 foot 11 but I need to be even taller if I wanna be in the Saints.

I shaved my head last week (and Nan wasn’t happy).

My hair and eyes are dark brown.

My Dad is half Aboriginal and half Irish background and my Mum is full Aboriginal, so I have pretty dark skin.


Typical Week Activities Chart

The 2008 Aboriginal Football Calendar
(Source: Aboriginal Football)

	Carer Responsibilities	Other Activities
Monday	Make Pop Breakfast Give Pop medicines Get Pop’s clothes out for him to dress Go for a walk with Pop in the evening Organise his dinner and get him ready for bed	Go to school Do homework Sammy or Nan help me with my home reader Housework
Tuesday	Make Pop Breakfast Give Pop medicines Get Pop’s clothes out for him to dress Get him ready for bed	Go to school Do any homework We all walk to Aunt Pauline’s every Tuesday for dinner
Wednesday	Make Pop breakfast Give Pop his medicine Get Pop’s clothes out for him to dress Get him into bed (Nan gets him his dinner)	Go to school Do any homework Go to AFL training
Thursday	Make Pop Breakfast Give Pop medicines Get Pop’s clothes out for him to dress Get his dinner ready and put him to bed	Go to school Do any homework Today is washing day so we do 3 days worth of washing.
Friday	Make Pop Breakfast Give Pop medicines Get Pop’s clothes out for him to dress Sammy and I take it in turns every second week to stay at Aunt Pauline and Uncle Rob’s house so whoever Is home gets Pop ready for bed.	Go to school Either sleep over at Aunt and Uncles or hire a video with Nan and Pop.
Saturday	Same as during the week only I have to look after Pop during the day and keep an eye on him. Sometimes we play chess or cards or whatever we can find to keep Pop entertained.  Play AFL during the day and Nan brings Poppy along to watch whenever we are playing in Brewarrina.
Sunday	Same as during the week	Once a month Pop goes to the Nursing home on Sundays so I can go to the pool all day if I want.

Aspirations
What is your 5 year plan?

For Dad to find some work here where we live so that he isn’t away as often.  I also want to have gotten really good at AFL, even better than I am now so that I can make the regional team.  I know that Poppy won’t get better because he is just getting worse.  But I want Nan to feel a little bit better so that she isn’t so tired and sad.  I also want my sister Sammy to be happier, cos when she is happy she helps a lot more.

What do you have to do to achieve this?

I don’t know what to do for Dad, that is something that he is trying to do.  I think I just have to cross my fingers. 

I need to train real hard to get better at AFL and practice my kicking.  I try to make Nan and Sammy feel better, I think I just need to keep being happy so that they are happy too.  I also need to stop getting angry at Sammy cos it isn’t her fault that things are hard.

Tips or Helpful Hints for other Young Carers

I love my Pop and even though there are times when he acts up and does stupid stuff, at the end of the day he is my Pop.  I think the fact that I love him is the reason that I am able to help Nan and Dad and keep on being happy.  I think I would tell other people who are young like me and doing the hard jobs like I am, that we are lucky because we aren’t the ones who wander and get scared and lost … we are the ones who help them find their way home!!!

My Story

My name is Keith and I am 9 years old.  I am in year 4 at Brewarrina Central School and I love AFL.  I look after my Poppy cos he has demensha and doesn’t know who we are all the time.  I wish that Poppy wasn’t sick and sometimes I wish that Mum was here to make it easy for us. 

We all try hard to help around the house and sometimes I get tired and cant do all the stuff that I shuld do for school.  My friends are really cool and like my Pop.  Espeshially when he tells us all funny old storys and starts laughing really loud. 

Next year my Dad promised me that we would watch Saint Kilda play in Melborne!  I can’t wait cos I have a shirt and scarf and beenie already so I will look like there biggest fan! 

I like where I live even though its small, cos all my family is here and they tell me all the time that they will always be there for me.  And that is exactly what me and my sister Sammy and my Poppy needs.

(Note: this is a fictional content and story but typical of a Young Carer)

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