A lot has been written about the cost associated with caregiving… for individual, families, employers, communities, our healthcare system. Simply put, caregiving for a loved one takes time and caregiving comes with costs—real and hidden.
According to experts, unpaid caregiving accounts for about 75% of total care costs with it’s economic contribution pegged at a massive 97.1 billion a year… the equivalent of paying almost $2 million to full-time workers suggests the Carers Canada website. When homecare is paid for out-of-pocket costs range from $25-35 an hour up to $60-70 for nursing care.
Additional costs that get added into the mix include transportation to medical and personal appointments, medication, supplements, supplies and medical equipment. When funds and other resources aren’t available, it often means that the unpaid caregiver (often a family member) has to step in and take care of things. This involves either picking up the tab and/or putting in more hours to get the job done. For instance: without lifts caregivers have to take more time to transfer, bathe and reposition loved ones. Without adequate personal hygiene supplies caregivers deal with infections, extra laundry and additional clean up time.
Canadians, most often women, spend as much as 5.7 billion hours a year providing care. They often miss work, forego career advancement and skip on family events, holidays and other opportunities that could improve their lives. Their physical and mental health is impacted, more often than not.
And, caregiving for an elder or a child or teen with a disability can be personally challenging and even quite isolating. In a 2021 survey, the majority (87%) of caregivers told researchers that they feel lonely with almost 70% suggesting that their own mental health had declined. More than half said their physical health had worsened.
Today, while there is increasing awareness of the gaps in health and social systems, it’s difficult to predict what the future holds. However, it goes without saying, there’s work to be done… at home to prepare for next steps and within our health care systems.
Caroline Tapp-McDougall
Editor in Chief
caroline@bcsgroup.com
Photo: CanStock
