Kristie
Medical Student, Vancouver, BC
More resources are needed to support caregivers — especially young ones — as they balance the challenges of work, school, and caregiving.
As the former First Lady Rosalynn Carter said, “There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” Caregiving is a nearly universal experience that will impact all of us at some point in our lives — and it’s an experience that’s fraught with challenges.
Caregiving challenges
“The biggest caregiving challenge is navigating the health care system,” says Gabi Townsend, a support group facilitator volunteer with Family Caregivers of BC who has extensive caregiving experience. “Other challenges involve long-distance caregiving and balancing self-care and other family responsibilities. Then there’s the emotional piece — exhaustion, overwhelm, anger, confusion, guilt, loss of identity, and redefining themselves in their relationship. Very key are grief and loss, which are constant companions in the caregiving journey.”
These challenges are often even greater for young caregivers, who realize that what they’re doing qualifies as caregiving.
You’re expecting to be supported by your caregiver, and instead, not only do you have a burden, but you have this loss of support in your life.
Kristie, a 25-year-old medical student from Vancouver, has been caring for her mother, who has schizophrenia and an eating disorder, since she was 16. “The role reversal was tough,” she says. “You’re expecting to be supported by your caregiver, and instead, not only do you have a burden, but you have this loss of support in your life.” Financial constraints, isolation, and anxiety have also impacted Kristie.
Supporting caregivers
Just a teenager when she started caring for her mother, Kristie had access to few resources. “I was really scared at home,” she says. “I was scared that my mom was going to die or that she was never going to get better. And no one’s checking on you, nobody’s helping.”
Kristie threw herself into her studies to distract herself, and eventually benefited from counselling provided through her university health insurance. But caregivers need so much more when it comes to supports and resources — caregiver-friendly workplaces and academic institutions, more supportive employment laws and benefits, employment leaves, workplace benefits, tax credits, financial supports, mental health resources, and more. Policy changes and increased assistance from government and community organizations alike are needed to empower and support caregivers, helping them to balance caregiving with their work, social lives, and personal health and well-being.
Caregiver organizations such as the Ontario Caregiver Organization, Family Caregivers of BC, Caregivers Alberta, Caregivers Nova Scotia and Young Caregivers Association can help, equipping caregivers with the necessary resources, support networks, and information to navigate their caregiving journeys with confidence and resilience.
If you’re a caregiver, you’re not alone. Learn more about Caregivers Alberta (caregiversalberta.ca), Caregivers Nova Scotia (caregiversns.org), Family Caregivers of BC (familycaregiversbc.ca), the Ontario Caregiver Organization (ontariocaregiver.ca), and Young Caregivers Association (youngcaregivers.ca) to get the support and resources you need.
