Canadians struggle to balance work and caregiving

An increasing number of Canadians are facing difficulties balancing the demands of caring for children and elderly parents while maintaining full-time employment. Many unpaid caregivers have had to cut back on work hours or put their career goals on hold to support aging family members.

A 2022 report from Statistics Canada reveals that 20 percent of adults provided unpaid care for older adults with disabilities, while nearly one-third offered similar support to children. This unpaid care often places significant financial strain on households, forcing individuals to exhaust vacation and sick days while neglecting their own needs.

Caregiving Challenges

Claire Webster, who founded the Dementia Education Program at McGill, shares her experience of feeling “constantly” torn between work and caregiving responsibilities. “My children were watching me unravel,” she says, as her own mother’s dementia progressed.

Caregivers often dedicate over 30 hours weekly to caring for elderly relatives or children, with the total value of this unpaid work estimated at $97 billion per year. Dr. Ivy Bourgeault, a University of Ottawa research chair in Gender, Diversity, and Professions, notes that caregiving “bleeds into their work,” says Dr. Bourgeault.

However, widespread shortages of care workers force families to take on the physically and emotionally demanding tasks themselves. Personal support workers are critical in elder care and supporting family caregivers, but high turnover rates persist due to low wages and poor working conditions.

Impact on the Economy

Armine Yalnizyan, an economist and Atkinson Fellow, warns that neglecting caregivers undermines the economy: “By not caring for the caregivers…you are shooting yourself in the foot.” Canada has relied heavily on temporary foreign workers to address care worker shortages, but the federal government recently paused all new TFW applications through the Home Care Worker Immigration pathway.

Alicia Massie, an economist at Simon Fraser University, points out that many home health workers will have to leave Canada as their visas expire, leaving families scrambling for alternatives. Yalnizyan argues that mismanaging the supply of these workers increases the care burden on working families.

Dr. Michael Wolfson, a former University of Ottawa research chair, predicts that the number of people over 85 will triple in the coming decades, accelerating healthcare costs and the need to address dementia and frailty. Canada’s dementia population is expected to reach 1.7 million by 2050.

Long-term Care Infrastructure

Provincial investments in long-term care infrastructure have failed to keep up with demographic changes and growing demand. Wait times for publicly funded beds and assisted living units can stretch for months or even years. Dr. Amina Jabbar, a geriatrician and home care researcher, observes, “We have nothing in between living alone and long-term care.”