Caregivers Support

Family caregivers provide unpaid care and assist loved ones who need support, at their home, in supportive housing , assisted living, or a residential care facility, because of age, injury, long-term chronic illness or disability.

Caregivers simply think of themselves as spouses, adult children, siblings and friends. Seniors are caring for spouses, boomers are caring for aging parents, and young people are caring for adult siblings or parents with a disability.

Caregivers help with daily care activities such as bathing, dressing, feeding, grooming, medication management, toilet hygiene, and transferring (e.g. getting in and out of bed); these are called activities of daily living (ADLs). ADLs refer to functional status and are assigned high importance in health care.

These may include activities like cooking; finances; housekeeping; oral hygiene; managing medical appointments; pet care; religious observances; selecting and supervising helpers; shopping; transporting; emotional support; exercise; foot care; grocery shopping; hospital visits; legal issues; and end-of-life care.

Caregiving is a wonderful way to express love and to give back to family members and friends. The work caregivers do is a gift to the people being cared for, and to our communities. While caregivers help and honour their care recipient, they also experience stress given the numerous tasks they face. All these tasks can affect physical, financial, mental and emotional health. The stress and losses (the things caregivers have to give up) add up and can create caregiver stress. If you can no longer cope with the tasks of caregiving, your care recipient(s) also suffers.

Gerontologist and elder-care consultant Katherine Willett has updated the indispensable United Way of the Lower Mainland’s Family & Friend Caregviers Information and Resource Handbook.

“Welcome to Connections, the Alzheimer Society of B.C.’s newsletter for people affected by or concerned about dementia. This issue, we’ll be talking about how we support dementia research. Read about a researcher developing strategies for ensuring that research is conducted in a dementia-friendly way, meet a caregiver who has participated in research and learn about a volunteer raising awareness. You’ll find tips on staying prepared as a caregiver and hear from Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, research champion for our upcoming Climb for Alzheimer’s. 

On February 22nd, 2016, Sam Turcott of Disability Alliance BC delivered a presentation on Disability Tax Credit at Renfrew Collingwood Seniors’ Society.

Family Caregivers of British Columbia aims to provide support to family caregivers, education, and much more. Support is provided through one-to-one support, information and referral to community resources, help in navigating the healthcare system, and connecting family caregivers to support groups. Education is provided to family caregivers through webinars (BC-wide); workshops; a bi-monthly newsletter (The Network News); resource library of books, videos, and handouts; Caregiver Wellness Booklet; Resource Guide for Family Caregivers (2nd Edition); Lunch and Learn sessions for employees; and support group volunteer facilitator training. Explore the website for more details.

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. is pleased to let you know about two new resources that aim to help people living with dementia and their families reduce the risk that a person living with dementia will wander. Check out the guides below!

Disorientation and getting lost: A guide for people living with dementia
Wandering and dementia: A guide for caregivers

Caregiver Connection is a newsletter published by the Family Caregivers of BC four times a year, once every season. It serves to provide family caregivers interesting and informative articles directly related to caregiving issues. Read the latest Caregiver Connection below!

Download the Spring 2019 newsletter
Download the Fall 2019 newsletter
Download the Summer 2019 newsletter
Download the Spring 2019 newsletter