A woman has written an open letter to anyone who looks down on carers, saying that they are not 'glorified ass wipers'.
24-year-old Beth Sturgis has been a carer for almost four years, and has shared her letter to nay-sayers online.
Beth, who is from Plymouth in Devon, has said she is 'overwhelmed and shocked' with the reaction to her post, which has now gone viral with around 5,000 views.
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"Nothing gripes me more than when someone's refers to careworkers as 'glorified ass wipers' or their naivety leads them to believe that that is all we do," she wrote.
"Today I was a cleaner, a cook, a hand to hold, a friendly face, a washer, a dresser, a helper, a CARER; today I was human.
"Today I helped a man that has lived through the war wash and dress because old age has now hit him and he is unable to walk or do these things for himself.
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"His body is ageing faster than his mind, but he is still so positive and always has a smile on his face.
"Today I helped a lady who this time last year was living her life normally to complete her normal daily tasks.
"Because she is now living her life with a cruel disease that has taken over her body and left her unable to do these things for herself, and has confined her to a wheelchair.
"I saw the pain in her eyes, the 'why me?', the frustration behind her smile and her braveness and will to live through this.
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"Today I administered medication to a lady living life with Alzheimer's, medication that she doesn't even know why she's taking it.
"Medication that I know and that she knows will not prevent the inevitable.
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"Medication that will not prevent the fact that one day she may go from not remembering where she put something, to not remembering who her own family are.
"Medication that will not cure this horrible disease because one has not been found yet and it may never be found. Today I saw the fear in her eyes."
Beth, who works for Bluebird Care, believes that her job is in no way 'easy', and explained that she becomes attached to those that she looks after.
"I have attended funerals of those I have helped. Those who I have seen twice maybe even four times a day and I have cried at the loss of those lives," she said.
"The impact that has on me is sometimes as sad as the loss of my own family, because it is hard to not become attached.
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"There are days I come home and cry because of things I have to deal with, things that I cannot control and things that I cannot wave a magic wand and cure.
"But I do this job because I care."
Beth says she gets annoyed by the fact that she gets paid less than those who work in the retail industry - but she wouldn't change it for the world.
"Nothing beats the smile I put on someone's face," she said.
"The satisfaction you get from making a small difference to someone's life, to help them live their lives as independently as they can, the feeling of purpose."
The letter ended with her calling on others to 'think again', writing: "So yes I may wipe asses, but that is not all I do. I am proud to be a carer and to work in this industry.
"So next time you think that that is all a being a care worker means please think again.
"No I do not save lives, but I sure as hell make them easier for someone to live. To all you carers out there, I salute you.
"They may not remember my name but they will remember what difference I made to their lives and I will go to my grave knowing I did a job that helped others."
Featured Image Credit: SWNS