Carer Abuse: the dark side of caring

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 In four weeks The Little Dog Laughed will be available in PAPERBACK and eBook formats. In the lead up to its release, I’d like to share some of the stories behind the story. Today’s story is about the book’s underlying theme ~ carer abuse.

65 million people or almost 29% of the population care for a chronically ill or disabled relative or friend - the majority are elderly women like Reggie, the protagonist in The Little Dog Laughed.  Providing care 24/7 can be a daunting task, and even more so when the patient is emotionally abusive. The dark side of caring - resentment, envy and anger is rarely acknowledged, but even the "love of your life can become testy when the effects of illness strip him of his dignity. In Reggie's case her relationship was rocky before illness robbed her partner of his livelihood and self-esteem. Now, though dependent on Reggie both physically and financially, Ennis takes his frustration out on Reggie by purposely saying hurtful things, blaming her for everything and taking no interest in what she does or what she has to say. 

Emotional abuse is a very damaging type of abuse. It can leave a person feeling inadequate, depressed and even suicidal, exactly how Reggie feels at the start of the story.