Caregiver Coalition Commends Government for Allowance to Aid Caregivers

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Canadian Caregiver Coalition commends government of Nova Scotia for allowance to aid caregivers

The Canadian Caregiver Coalition (CCC) commends the government of Nova Scotia for implementing a program of financial assistance to families who voluntarily look after someone with a disability or a chronic illness.

"By providing an allowance of $400 per month to eligible family caregivers, the government of Nova Scotia is helping to relieve some of the financial toll that is incurred when families undertake to care for their loved ones in the home setting," said Nadine Henningsen, CCC President. "The government's recognition of the critical need for programs that will help to ease the financial burden placed on caregivers is an important component of the CCC's proposed framework for a national caregiving strategy."

Family caregivers provide care and assistance for spouses, children, parents and other extended family members who are in need of support because of age, disabling medical conditions, chronic injury, long term illness or disability. Family caregivers are the invisible backbone of the health and long term care system in Canada.

Canadians from all walks of life struggle to balance work, family and caregiving responsibilities; and with the existing health human resource shortages and a growing aging population, the demands on family caregivers will increase. Twenty-five percent of caregivers report that their employment situation has been affected by their caregiving responsibilities. This translates to decreased income for individuals and lost productivity, absenteeism and loss of excellent human capital within the workforce.

The government of Nova Scotia has demonstrated its recognition of this important social issue. The Canadian Caregiver Coalition urges all provinces and territories to follow suit.

About the Canadian Caregiver Coalition

The Canadian Caregiver Coalition is a diverse group of national and provincial organizations from across Canada that join with caregivers, service providers, policy makers and other stakeholders to identify and respond to the needs of caregivers in Canada.

The vision of the Canadian Caregivers Coalition is a Canada that recognizes and respects the integral role of family caregivers in society, and supports this role with the understanding that it is not a substitute for public responsibility in health and social care.