On Saturday, 24th June, we held our National Carers Day at the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise. The event was organised by our ‘On With Life’ team, which offers support and guidance to anyone caring for a loved one with an acquired brain injury. Carers travelled from every county to gain more insight into acquired brain injury and self-care and to link in with other carers. It was an emotional day for many. Step Ahead Plus, CreATe (our new Assistive Technology service) and Family Carers Ireland all had information stands on the day and spoke to many of the carers in attendance.

An important discovery arose from National Carers Day, where it was evident that a majority of the carers at the event do not prioritise their own needs and their own self-care.

The morning commenced with an opening speech from CEO and Co-Founder, Barbara O’Connell, followed by presentations from guest speakers, including Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Eddie Murphy, Dr. Mark Holloway (Head First UK) and Anne O’Loughlin (National Rehabilitation Hospital). After the presentations, carers were invited to ask questions through Slido or from the floor.

After lunch, carers were given the opportunity to join breakout rooms and gain valuable resources and methods to ensure their own self-care. Breakout rooms included Music Therapy, Health & Nutrition, Life Stages, Chair Yoga and Mindfulness.

We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who attended and a big thanks to our speakers and facilitators.