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A User’s Guide for Caregivers

One in four Canadians 15 and older have an additional responsibility on top of work or school and looking after their households: Providing care for a friend or family member with a long-term health condition, physical or mental disability, or problems related to aging can be extremely rewarding.

However, it can also be isolating and physically and emotionally exhausting. It can also have serious consequences for a caregiver’s physical health and wellbeing.

In research conducted by Health Quality Ontario, for example, one third of people who provided unpaid care to  long-stay home-care patients experienced distress, anger, or depression in relation to their caregiver role, or were unable to continue.

How can you reduce the odds of these things happening if you’re providing care to a loved one?

Learn more in this feature story that originally appeared In Good Times magazine’s December 2016 issue: A Users Guide for Caregivers.

Thank-you again to the interviewees who so generously shared their time and expertise:

Resources

 

US Visitors may want to check out these resources from RetireGuide.

 

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio Courtesy of Pexels