[Report] Caring in Canada: Survey Insights from Caregivers and Care Providers across Canada

Executive Summary

Canada is facing a caregiving crisis that will only get worse without real action. A perfect storm is brewing: demand for care is growing, caregivers are aging, the number of available caregivers is shrinking, and care needs are becoming more complex due to our aging population and rising rates of disability and mental health conditions. There is an urgent need to make sure that caregivers and care providers have the resources and services to support their caregiving responsibilities. Better data is needed to further understand the challenges that caregivers and care providers face and the supports they need. That’s why we carried out the National Caregiving Survey, completed by more than 3,000 caregivers and care providers. This survey fills a significant evidence gap as it is the first time that many of these indicators have been measured in Canada.

The survey shows that the average caregiver in Canada provides 5.1 hours of care each day and has been providing this care for 4.6 years. Caregivers are typically middle-aged and caring for a parent who is facing challenges due to aging.

Additional information