Caring Couple's Love Helps Them Through The Day
8th April 2008
David and Juanita Turner are always there for each other
and support one another to do the things they find difficult.
While Juanita is officially David's carer, he also helps her doing the things she finds difficult because of her dyslexia.David, 53, was born physically disabled. He has no arms, only one digit coming from a shoulder. He also suffers from diabetes.
Juanita, 37, has severe dyslexia. She says many people assume she and David have a joint caring role,
when in fact she can look after herself.
"A lot of people think that we're both carers," she said. "I try to say, 'No I'm the only one'.
"I look at it as I don't need a carer - not as such. I can do a lot of things for myself."
The couple live in accommodation in Nichols Way, off Polsloe Road, Exeter, provided by Devon Community Housing Association,
and only have to pay water bills.
They live on Juanita's carer's allowance and David's disability and mobility allowances.
But Juanita thinks the Government owes them more.
"I never knew this at first but one night David stayed up watching TV and on the programme it said that care workers doing a 16-hour day get around £200 a week, but a person who is a full-time carer gets just a quarter of that.
I don't think that's fair.
Something's not being done right.
"The ones that are working for 16 hours should get the money I'm getting, and I should be getting the money they're getting,
or a little bit more anyway. It would really help us out."
The couple married six years ago, about two years after they met at Isca Bowling Club.
David bowls with his feet and had just finished a game when he offered Juanita a lift home in the rain.
He has a mobility car that allows him to steer with his feet.
By the end of the car journey they had arranged to go out on a date, and the following Valentine's Day -
which is David's birthday - they became engaged.
A year later, on Juanita's birthday, they married at St Paul's Church in Burnthouse Lane.
The charity Dream-A-Way paid for the couple to have a honeymoon in Spain.
They do not have anybody coming to the home to offer support, but added that at the moment it was not something they needed.
Story Courtesy of the Express & Echo