I'm young and caring for a family member. Where can I find support?

I'm 24 and I'm caring for my grandmother with dementia while trying to study and work. My friends don't understand what I'm going through, and I feel alone and like I'm losing my own youth. Where can I find support?

Caring for a family member at such a young age is a huge burden that few around you understand. Feeling alone and like you're losing your youth is a legitimate pain — and you don't have to carry it in silence. There is support for you.

Why it happens

Young carers face unique challenges: balancing studies and work, seeing friends at a very different stage of life, and taking on responsibilities for which no one prepared them. Isolation among peers is real, because few their age are experiencing the same.

Practical strategies

• Look for support groups from Alzheimer Portugal, including online, where you can find other carers.
• Find out about the Informal Carer Status and support from Social Security (300 502 502).
• Talk to your school or university's student support services about flexibility.
• Share the responsibility with other family members — it doesn't have to be yours alone.
• Protect time for yourself: friends, study, rest. Your life matters too.

What NOT to do

• Do not completely give up on your projects and social life.
• Do not take on alone what should be shared.

When to seek professional help

If you experience persistent sadness, anxiety, or burnout, talk to your GP or your school/university's psychological support. The SNS 24 Line (808 24 24 24) can also provide guidance.

"I felt old next to my friends. Finding other young carers made me realise I wasn't alone." — Anonymous Carer