overworked and undervalued
in many cases, caregivers aren’t getting paid at all to do the tasks required to help someone live their best life while dealing with chronic illness or disease.
typically, caregivers work an additional 30 hours of unpaid care per week. it’s working close to two full-time jobs for those already employed, and only one of which brings in any money.
because of that, the financial stress associated with caregiving is high. as many as 50 per cent of caregivers experienced distress over their fiscal situation because of their duties to others, with 22 per cent spending their own money to support the person they care for. on top of that, 22 per cent also reported spending an additional $1,000 a month out of their own pockets to facilitate care for others in their lives.
aging caregivers
as the canadian population continues to get older, it’s expected that many will age out of their ability to care for others. this isn’t due to a lack of wanting to continue the job but rather to contend with their own health issues and limitations in accessing support to perform their caregiving responsibilities meaningfully.
roughly 20 per cent of canada’s caretakers are over 65. unfortunately, even though they may need more support, they are often left in the lurch regarding additional resources that can help support their responsibilities. this means that if they need assistance with home modifications to improve care, respite or transportation services, they are often out of luck and left to figure things out independently.
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