October 11, 2016
The True Numbers of Caregiving
- 28% of Canadians age 15 and up are caregivers.
- To fall into this category, they provide at least 2 hours of care to another person each week.
- Of that number, 54% of caregivers are women.
- Out of the 8 million people in Canada who are caregivers, 1 in 4 are in the “sandwich generation,” meaning they care for both a parent (or other adult) plus their child.
- The most common age bracket for caregivers was aged 45 to 64, with 44% of people in that age range.
- 39% of caregivers are caring for a parent.
- 8% care for their spouse.
- 5% care for their child.
- 48% of caregivers care for other relatives or friends.
- Transportation to medical appointments, to shop, and for general errands is the most common type of caregiver assistance given, given in 73% of situations.
- Housecleaning and cooking come in second as the most common type of assistance given, given in 51% of caregiver situations.
- 25% of caregivers help with medical treatments, bathing, and dressing.
- 28% of those caring for a child, 20% of those caring for their spouse, and 7% of those caring for a parent report experiencing financial difficulties as a result of their caregiving responsibilities.
- 25% of caregivers report having to cut their work hours due to their caregiving responsibilities.
- 30% of child caregivers, 14% of those caring for their spouse, and 5% of those caring for a parent reported receiving government financial assistance.
- 12% reported receive income assistance from friends and family.
- 5% receive a federal tax credit.
- Those who care for a child or spouse report personally suffering from more health and psychological problems than those caring for other relatives.
- Over half of all caregivers report feeling depressed, isolated, worried or another type of mental distress.
- 33% of caregivers have to seek professional help for these issues.
As you can see by the numbers, caregiving isn’t easy and you are not the only one providing care for a child, parent, friend, or other loved one. If you need support, there are numerous online groups and in-person groups that hold meetups. There is also an abundance of websites, like Carers Canada, offering information, education, and support for those caring for others.
If you decide that it’s time to hire a caregiver for your loved one, we can help with the tax and payroll side. We can set up your CRA and WCB accounts, we are experts in payroll and deductions, and we ensure that you are compliant with your provincial Employment Standards. Best of all, we offer a free month of our services to help get you started!
Source: Statistics Canada
