Today is National Carers Day across Canada, a day to celebrate and thank caregivers and recognize the essential role they play in the success of our community.
Caregiving is an incredibly difficult job and the related statistics are staggering. Every year, caregivers contribute roughly $25 billion in unpaid labour to the Canadian health system, while spending an aggregated $12.6 million expenses related to their role. Fifty percent of all caregivers are between the ages of 45-65, with seventy-five percent juggling their work and caregiving responsibilities.
Photo credit and stats: www.carerscanada.ca/carer-facts
Across Canada over eight million people (roughly 1 in 4) serve as caregivers to a loved one, providing essential care and support to individuals with physical or cognitive conditions, injuries or a chronic life-limiting illnesses. Here in British Columbia, over one million family and friend caregivers devote their time and energy to helping someone else live a more comfortable, safe life.
If you are not a family caregiver, you likely know someone who is – a family member, a friend, a co-worker, a neighbour – or perhaps you have someone providing care and support to you.
In honour of today, we encourage you to take time to reach out and thank a caregiver for all they are do. Small gestures, such as providing a few hours of respite, running errands, like grocery shopping, or sending a thank you card and bouquet of flowers can go a long way.
If you’re a caregiver of a senior, the United Way British Columbia Family & Friend Caregivers Information and Resource Handbook is a key guide to navigating different challenges facing many caregivers, including:
- Housing, including information on accessing assisted living and residential care, and a check-list of things to do when a senior has to move;
- Caregiver support such as counselling and financial support;
- Information on disease-specific programs and websites related to health concerns such as dementia and depression;
- Legal resources including how to prepare a representation agreement; and
- The full range of community services that help seniors to age-in-place in their own homes including United Way’s Better at Home, a program that provides non-medical support services to seniors across B.C.
Additional information for caregivers is also available at bc211, a free, 24/7, multilingual information and referral service, as well as the BC Family Caregiver Support Line BC (1-877-520-3267) which provides one-on-one support, information about community resources and help navigating the healthcare system.
Together, we can help raise the awareness of carers’ needs and work to ensure they are connected to and accessing the resources they need.
Learn more about United Way’s Better at Home Program and how it can help a senior in your life with simple day-to-day tasks so that they can continue to live independently in their own homes and remain connected to their communities.