David

I gave up full-time work three years ago to care for my wife, Harriet. She has a long history of serious mental illness, although her combination of personality disorders has no concrete diagnosis. We both believe that without my full-time support she would be permanently institutionalised.

Six million people work as carers every day in this country, either within formal institutional settings, or else (as in my experience) in more domestic arrangements. I chose to write this blog as the voice of the carer is not often heard and this may help to give an insight and lend understanding to the role and its day-to-day ups and downs. I also write a weekly Carer's Diary on my own blogspot: www.fiftyquidaweek.blogspot.com.

When I'm not caring for Harriet I can usually be found watching films she doesn't like (see Woody Allen), reading novels she doesn't like (see Martin Amis, John Updike) or watching cricket, an activity she remains curiously ambivalent about.