We asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us about their experiences of being carers. We had a lot of responses. Here are just a few.

“I never imagined that at 31 my career would have stalled and I would be taking care of a parent who is only 62. My mom passed years ago, and I helped a bit, but nothing like this. My sister, a registered nurse who lives 45 minutes away, is no help.”

“I have been caring for my elderly parents after caring for my husband who passed away from cancer. My mother passed away two years ago; now I take care of my dad and brother.”

“In the space of one year, I became a caregiver for my father (who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia and went on thrice-weekly dialysis), my aunt (who had her own concerns along with her preparatory grief for the brother who was her life), and my husband, who survived a series of violent asthma attacks.”

“I became a carer for my boyfriend, who has a chronic breathing condition that makes it difficult to do basic things.”

“My sister and I are caregivers for my mom who has MS and we all care for my dad who has Alzheimer’s.”

“I was a reluctant caregiver at the best of times, but my elderly relative did not have anyone else in his life willing to step in. I thought it would be a challenging but doable effort, and a way to save on rent. At the best of times it was aggravating and at the worst, brutal.”

Read more on Buzzfeed.