Ensuring care for the caregivers
If you’re searching the want ads, you’ll probably skip over the job that promises long hours, little recognition and no pay. But sooner or later, you’ll likely find yourself toiling away in the position, even as it comes with considerable emotional and financial consequences.
It’s called caregiving — or more accurately, unpaid caregiving. According to a newly released Statistics Canada study, 13.4 million Canadians — 42 per cent — now provide unpaid care to children or adults. And of these, 13 per cent — 1.8 million Canadians — are members of the “sandwich generation,” a group called upon to provide care to members of both groups.
Needless to say, the toll this job takes is significant. Seventy-four per cent of those who care for adults (usually their parents) and 86 per cent of sandwich caregivers reported negative health effects, such as feeling depressed, anxious or overwhelmed.
Furthermore, roughly one third of those caring for adults or children saw their paid employment negatively impacted, while one quarter suffered financial hardship as a result. Sandwich caregivers fared even more poorly, with two-thirds experiencing employment difficulties and 35 per cent reporting financial hardship.
And on every metric, women fared less well than men. More than nine in 10 female sandwich caregivers reported negative consequences for their health and well-being, while 41 per cent suffered financial hardship as a result of their caregiving responsibilities.
According to a 2022 report from Toronto Metropolitan University’s National Institute on Ageing, unpaid caregivers deliver 75 per cent of all home care hours, thereby saving the health care system $10 billion. And as the population ages, the value of unpaid caregiving is expected to rise dramatically.
If, that is, unpaid caregivers are able to cope with the increasing demands of their jobs. And if they’re not, we could see admissions to long-term care skyrocket, with the Canadian Institute for Health Information estimating that eight per cent of current admissions are a direct result of caregiver distress.
Given the stakes, one would expect governments and businesses to make caregiver accommodations a priority. But despite some progress, accommodations have been limited.
The federal government offers some tax credits, including the Canadian Caregiver Credit and credits for disability and medical expenses. However, as these credits — and similar ones offered by the provinces — are non-refundable, they only benefit caregivers with sufficient income to take advantage of them.
Indeed, the Canadian Centre for Caregiver Excellence reported that in 2018, only eight per cent of caregivers received tax credits, and it therefore advises making all caregiver-related credits refundable.
In addition to tax credits, Ontario offers family medical and caregiver leave, but the leaves are unpaid and only protect caregivers’ jobs while they’re away from work.
Alternatively, Carers Canada, a national coalition devoted to supporting caregivers, recommends governments provide interest-free loans to caregivers who take leaves from work, along with permitting tax-free RRSP withdrawals and pension unlocking.
Aside from financial incentives, the National Institute on Ageing advises providing caregivers with training, counselling and support groups, all of which reduce both caregiver stress and admissions to long-term care.
Employers can also offer training and counselling, and along with them, extended leave and flexible work schedules can ease the burden on caregivers. These caregiver-friendly policies are beneficial to employers as well, as the centre observes that they help to reduce employee turnover and improve the working environment.
In its budget this week, the federal government said it intends to hold consultations on the creation of what it calls a National Caregiving Strategy to better support caregivers “in their essential roles.”
Such policies aren’t, however, just good for employers and governments. They’re critical for everyone, since most of us will eventually become caregivers — or more importantly, become dependent on them.