Giving and Taking Care. Lifecycle Learning Sheet.

Two out of three Canadian women will care for a chronically ill or disabled family member. Caregiving is a valuable task that can simultaneously have great emotional rewards and significant physical, emotional, and financial costs. The time spent out of the paid labor force because of caregiving responsibilities averages 11.5 years for women versus 1.3 years for men. Many caregivers may not ask for help or be aware of assistance available to them. Even with adequate support and recognition, caregivers often experience overwhelming feelings of grief, guilt, and resentment, especially when without continued informal support caregiving becomes impossible. Caregivers must receive increased emotional, physical, and financial recognition and support for the important work they do. Informal support networks and formal services must be made available and affordable to those who need them. Caregivers should be paid for the work they do, and costs related to their employment should be recognized. Caregivers can begin by identifying needs and gaps in services and move toward advocating for adequate funding and policy changes. (Concluding the publication are lists of print, audiovisual, and community resources dealing with home care services, Canadian caregiver support groups and agencies, and respite care.) (MN)