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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
James McNeill

Carer scared to go outside and can't get milk on her own

A carer said she can feel isolated and alone after developing agoraphobia.

Grace Sutcliffe from Southport has been with her husband Andrew since 2009. The pair met at church and after two weeks of dating, Andrew asked Grace to marry him.

Before they met, Andrew was in a motorbike accident and spent three months in a coma. He now uses a wheelchair. Grace who helps to look after Andrew has mental health issues herself and has severe agoraphobia and can't leave the house on her own.

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The 33-year-old said that while Andrew helps to take care of her emotional needs the pair are more worried about the future than ever. Grace said that while she is grateful for all the support she gets, sometimes they are both left feeling isolated and alone.

She told the ECHO: "We live in a bungalow alone and we do have a carer who comes in for 30 hours a week to help us. It can be hard with agoraphobia if we run out of milk we can't go out and get it.

"I can't get out on my own I'm just too scared I feel frightened and overwhelmed. I had a bad breakdown when I was 15 and have struggled with mental health ever since."

Grace said that she has still come a long way and said she feels safe whenever she goes outside with Andrew. With her husband's lack of mobility, Grace does most of the household chores.

Grace Sutcliffe from Southport with her husband Andrew (Grace Sutcliffe)

She said: "I help him with tasks around the house and I support him by cooking his meals. I help him with showering and getting dressed if the carers are not there. They are amazing but not always around.

"When you a caring for somebody you can get worn down and just feel like you are reaching breaking point. It's been hard with the cost of living going up.

"It is hard finically because when you can't go out to work you are relying on benefits and with bills going up I worry how we will manage in the future if things get worse. With our conditions, we need the heating on all the time. We don't always get the support we need and that can be isolating."

"Andrew and I are just madly in love and I'm so thankful that I found him. Being with him is a dream come true and together we can overcome anything."

Grace goes on respite holidays that are funded by Revitalise a national charity that provides holidays for disabled people and their carers. She said that being able to get away and rest has been a lifeline for her.

Revitalise is the leading UK provider of breaks and holidays for disabled people and carers. They offer 4,600 breaks a year to more than 2,600 people. They are the only provider of accessible respite holidays for people needing 24-hour care in the UK, working to improve the well-being of disabled people and carers so they do not reach breaking point.

If you would like to find out more information then click here.

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