Ballynahinch carer Joan is ‘inspiration to us all’

Ballynahinch carer Joan is ‘inspiration to us all’

18 June 2025

A BALLYNAHINCH woman, who has been a carer for over 30 years, has been praised for the invaluable role she plays.

Joan Stangeland has been described by the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust as an “inspiration” and her impact has been highlighted by the organisation at the start of Carers’ Week.

The annual event provides an opportunity to recognise the dedication, compassion and resilience of those who provide care and support to their family members and loved ones and to raise awareness of the vital role they play and the challenges that they face.

Remarkably, Joan’s journey as a 

carer began 35 years ago after her son was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

She described the early days of his diagnosis as a “a very stressful time”, explaining that learning to enter her son’s world and understand the way he saw life and work with him “brought a great understanding of wanting to get out there”.

Joan said while a lot carers might feel isolated and need help and support, there are others who will not judge or say whether they are carrying out their carer role rightly or wrongly, but simply just be there to listen.

“As a carer, you are not alone,” she continued.

“There are groups as a carer that you can join and people will have a greater understanding of what you are going through. At the beginning of your caring life, it is extremely overwhelming and it is very difficult to grasp that change that enters your life, that you have to cope with.

“I would urge any carer not to say, ‘I can do this on my own’. Share your 

carer journey with other people. The fact that you go out there and talk is therapy in itself.”

Joan said she gained a greater understanding of their situation.

“You have got to go in with an open mind and not say to other carers, ‘You should do this, or you should do that’. All carers are individual, the people that they care for are individual and it is up to that carer to understand the person that they are caring for.”

Joan said she knows carers who are on a 24/7 care package which is very, very strenuous and takes its toll. She said it’s important these carers need to be looked after.

A founding member of the local health trust’s Local Engagement Partnership (LEP), which began in 2017, Joan explained how she has been working with the organisation on a variety of committees and groups that offer carer support, directories and signposting to services.

And the Ballynahinch woman’s message to any carer who may be feeling isolated is that there are Trust resources which can be accessed, with the carer pointed in the right direction for support. 

“Support is so important,” said Joan.

“I remember in my early days when there was no such thing and you were working blindly until you realised that the person you are looking after, is the person that you have got to understand and cope with and adapt skills for. 

“Skilling is a very important part of caring. You have got to have the skill to understand what you need to do to enable that person to join society again.”

Being a carer and instrumental to the health trust’s carer community, Joan said that her experience has given her “both sides of the coin”.

She added: “The staff have their experience and I have mine. I have learned an awful lot from the staff and I thank them for that.”

Pamela Smyth, the health trust’s carers development support officer, described Joan as a “true advocate for carers and has been committed to highlighting their issues and rights. 

“Joan has been involved in many Trust initiatives to improve support for carers,” she continued.

“She was instrumental in co-producing the Carer Conversation Wheel and was involved in training staff to use the tool. In addition, she also facilitated training sessions for carers, empowering them to seek support to help them to continue to care.”

Pamela added: “Joan has been on many Department of Health and South Eastern Trust accountability and workshop groups and by sharing her lived experience, has assisted in developing and improving services and support for carers. “She is an inspiration to us all.”

“She is an inspiration to us all.”