A Guide for Carers: How to Continue Your Education

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Carers have a huge responsibility on their plate. Their jobs can be incredibly difficult, demanding, and draining. For those who care for a loved one, it can even put your own career on hold. Thankfully, there are many online and part-time opportunities available for you so that you can take care of an aging parent without sacrificing your dreams.

It will take a lot of work, and you will also need to learn some key time management skills, but with the resources and support available you can continue your education while still ensuring your loved one receives the best care possible at your hands.

Know Your Options

Nowadays, there are many options to choose from when it comes to continuing your education. You can enroll in:

·         Night School –  Night school is the traditional route, which requires you to attend class after your working hours so you can fit it around your current job and responsibilities.

·         Part-Time – Part-time is more flexible and better for those who work freelance or unpredictable hours.

·         Online Degrees –  With online degrees, however, you can get the benefits of both night school and part-time with the added benefit of reduced commuting costs. Online degrees are offered by some of the top institutions around the world and are perfect whether you want a business degree or history degree. You can enroll right now to any of Bank Street’s online degree programs and take the first step towards continuing your education today. As it is done online, you can manage your carer responsibilities and your course load all at once without leaving your loved one home alone and vulnerable.

How to Juggle Caring Responsibilities and School

Now all that is left is trying to handle both your job as a carer and the course load that comes with an MA degree. Here are four different ways that you can do this.

1.    Invest in More Help

You do not have to take care of your loved one by yourself. You might need to invest in government aid or seek out the help of a sibling or other relative to make it easier for you.

2.    Ensure You Are Getting Your Caregiver’s Allowance

If you are caring for a loved one, who has advanced medical needs, ensure that you are getting the caregiver’s allowance. This allowance isn’t offered to everyone, but if you do apply, you can receive money to help you offset the costs and make it easier for you to sustain yourself.

3.    Work out a Set Number of Hours Every Day

You will want to schedule a set number of hours every day to focus on your degree. As you cannot predict what your loved one will need as the days go on, try to commit a few hours in the morning and a few hours at night.

4.    Look After Your Own Health

Above all else, remember that you need to care for your own health during this time. Being a carer can be stressful, and adding on an online degree, you can easily burn out.

You should never have to give up your life to take care of someone else. Instead, use the opportunities available to you to continue your education online and don’t be afraid to ask for help or take advantage of government support.

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