Product Description

Six million people in the UK, often unnoticed by the rest of us, provide unpaid care for disabled or elderly relatives, friends or neighbours. Their job is long, lonely and hard, yet there is limited support and no formal training. As a result, carers suffer frequent damage to physical and mental health. Oddly, though carers by definition are anything but selfish pigs, they are liable to feelings of guilt, probably brought on by fatigue and isolation. So Hugh Marriott has written this book for them - and also for the rest of us who don't know what being a carer is all about. His aim is bring into the open everything he wishes he'd been told when he first became a carer. And he does. The book airs such topics as sex, thoughts of murder, and dealing with the responses of friends and officials who fail to understand. This is a must-read for anyone involved with caring.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63046 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Review
'A splendid new books for carers.' THE TIMES 'The reaction from readers of the book has been amazing.' TAKE CARE 'We have needed this book for 20 years. I wish I had been able to read it when I first became a carer' Alison Ryan, Chief Executive, The Princess Royal Trust for Carers 'The book is easy to read, with many amusing illustrations. It is well researched, and looks at the problems faced by carers rather than those who care for someone with a specific disease.' GP 'Hugh's book, illustrated with pig cartoons, is full of humour. But the message is serious concerning looking at the situation from the carer's point of view.' IRISH EXAMINER

Take Care, Spring 2004
The reaction from readers of the book has been amazing.

Daily Echo, October 21, 2003
The Selfish Pig's Guide to Caring exposes some hard-hitting truths about caring for the sick or disabled

Customer Reviews

Just what a carer needs to read
Hugh Marriot has made a fantastic job of highlighting issues that most carers probably don't think twice about. He has injected enough humour to make the book a very enjoyable read. He has created a name for the Person I(he) Give Love & Endless Therapy to (P.I.G.L.E.T), and therefore brings a lighter side to the carer's responsibilities - just thinking about it can raise a smile. It becomes clear by reading the book, many of us carers may think that we are selfish for wishing things to be different, but we have no right to do so. We are only feeling what many others are doing in similar situations, so how can we be selfish.

The tales and stories that he relates about his own situation and those of his friends, show the benefits of sharing information, and that, we should all try to do likewise as often as possible. Because Hugh and his 'piglet' live in the uk - his 'frustrations' are those that we can all equate to. Whether they be with social services, or other people's attitudes towards carers and the disabled.

I've read the book through from cover to cover and keep refering back to sections of it. Informative and/or humerous sections of text have now been marked with post-it notes.

Thanks Hugh for spelling out what carers need to hear. We are NOT ALONE - even though we may feel differently most of the time

Common sense and humour
This is a must-read book for all carers. Marriott tells it like it is - he rolls up his sleeves and gets right down to it, even the stuff the other people daren't even whisper about. His style is reassuring and full of good humour and - I don't know how he manages it - he always gets the balance right, so he's helpful not preachy, realistic but not pessimistic. There are lots of good general practical tips, and where he's unable to give specific details, he explains how you can follow up lines of enquiry on your own.

I really think the man deserves a medal for writing this book.

This guy's been there!
If you are a carer you're expected by everyone else to be perfect 24 hr a day 365 days a year. Life ain't like that and Hugh Marriot has the courage to admit it.

He is honest about the problems and prepared to suggest how carers can maintain a grip on sanity (most of the time) and loose tempers (rarely) without feeling bucketloads of guilt.

It should be issued to all who apply for a carers allowance. Doctors, nurses social workers OT and others who deal with carers should read it. It will help you and the carer to converse as human beings. It will enable you to converse in the real world.