Making a meaningful difference in the lives of older adults and family/friend caregivers by bridging research, policies, and practice.

How are we making a difference?

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• By raising awareness about the 5.2 million Canadians who combine paid work and care work – To increase awareness about the 5.2 million employed caregivers in Canada, we are analyzing the most recent national survey of caregivers and co-creating with our partners a series of six infographics about family caregivers who juggle paid work and care work responsibilities.
  1. Who are employed caregivers in Canada?  in English and French on Qui sont les aidants en emploi au Canada, 2022
  2. How does caregiving impact paid work for employed women and men? in English and French on Quelles répercussions les soins ont-ils sur le travail rémunéré des femmes et des hommes?, 2023
  3. Who are employed caregivers at greatest risk of poor work-life balance and job insecurity in English and French on Quels aidants en emploi s’exposent le plus à la précarité d’emploi et à des difficultés à concilier leur vie profess, 2023
  4. What are the availability and impact of flexible work arrangements for employed caregivers? in English and French on Les aidants en emploi ont-ils accès à des modalités de travail flexibles et quels sont les bienfaits de telles modalités?, 2023
  5. Supporting employed caregivers makes good business sense in English and French on Soutenir les aidants en emploi constitue un investissement plutôt rentable, 2023
  6. How much do employed caregivers contribute to the Canadian economy? in English and French on Quelle est la contribution des aidants en emploi à l’économie canadienne?, 2023

Employed caregivers in Canada infographic series compilation, in English and French on Les aidants en emploi au Canada, 2023

• For National Caregivers Day we gathered a fabulous group of people from across Canada as part of a panel conversation on Balancing Work and Care: Strategies for Meaningful Employment.  Learn about the challenges of balancing paid work and unpaid caregiving responsibilities, the marketable skills that caregivers acquire as part of their care journey, and how employers can benefit from and better support caregivers in the workplace through technology, policies, and practices by watching the catalytic conversation on AGE-WELL’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRzJtv-43sE

• Read Dr. Janet Fast’s personal story about confronting the intersection of paid work and care work and how one pivotal question can shape a career.

• By estimating the economic value of family care work in Canada – New research estimates that the annual economic value of family care work is between $97.1 billion and $112.7 per year.  Curious? For more information check out our publication in the Journal of Family and Economic Issues here https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10834-023-09899-8,  our 2-page infographic Value of Family Caregiving in Canada or our article in The Conversation Canada: Family Day imagery neglects family caregivers’ care work; it needs to be valued.

• By co-creating technology solutions to enhance the employability of family caregivers and older workers – As a project funded by AGE-WELL, Canada’s technology and aging network, we strongly believe that building technologies that solve ‘wicked problems’ like maintaining caregivers’ employment starts first by listening to caregivers’ experiences. Curious about our project? Read more here: Alberta partnership aims to help unpaid caregivers find flexible jobs
• Watch our interview with Su-Ling Goh, Health Reporter with Global TV Edmonton  https://globalnews.ca/video/8173719/edmonton-health-matters-sept-7-2021/

• By debunking public misconceptions about caregiving – “To most people, caregiving means looking after ailing relatives in their final years. But the reality is much different, with the actual workload lasting more than 30 years for some, according to University of Alberta research. The study, the first of its kind to gauge caregiving across a person’s lifetime, debunks the myth that looking after an ailing loved one is a short, one-off experience. ” Get the full story here. 
• Did you know that nearly half of young caregivers (age 15-19 years) in Canada care for their grandparents? The infographic Young caregivers (age 15-19 years) in Canada shows that even young people are caregivers. When asked when they first started providing care, more than 40% said they were less than 15 years old, growing up while caring for grandparents, parents, or friends and neighbours. Stories about young caregivers in Canada whose health, social development, education, and job prospects are challenged appeared in several news outlets: CBC News, Folio, Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, Calgary Sun, and Calgary Herald.
• Curious about what is a caregiver or caregiver burden? Check out these professional videos co-created with Caregivers Alberta:

  • What is a Caregiver?

  • The Caregiver Burden

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  By using evidence to inform public policy  – MP for Edmonton Riverbend, Matt Jeneroux, spoke with Human Ecology 300 undergraduate students about the role of research in the policy-making process. Dr. Janet Fast assisted Mr. Jeneroux while he was an Alberta MLA  in making a case for his private member’s bill (203) to introduce a Compassionate Care Leave for employees working in provincially regulated industries/occupations. It passed with all-party support, a rare thing for a private member’s bill! He has since moved on to federal politics. Dr. Fast also collaborated with Mr. Jeneroux on his federal private members bill C-220 to amend the Canada Labour Code to extend the period of bereavement leave and expand eligibility for the leave for those who are on Compassionate Care Leave or Critical Illness Leave to help thousands of grieving Canadian families. We are delighted that Bill C-220 received Royal Assent and is now law!

• Dr. Janet Fast collaborated with Caregivers Alberta and the Alberta Caregiver-Focused Coalition to respond to the Government of Alberta’s invitation from stakeholders to provide input to the review of the Continuing Care Act. Our submission uses research evidence to advocate for better policies that sustain caregiver well-being.

• One of our graduate students, Jonathon Lai,  was selected as a 2020-21 AGE-WELL APPTA Policy  Challenge participant. The Policy Challenge is an educational program that provides a unique opportunity to AGE-WELL Trainees to work closely with policy experts and learn first-hand how research ideas become policy options for implementation at a provincial, territorial, or national level. Released on April 1, 2021, Jon’s report focuses on financial support for older adults during pandemics.

• By integrating research and teaching – Dr. Megan Strickfaden was selected to be a McCalla Professor for 2020-2022. McCalla Professors are outstanding academics who contribute significantly to integrating teaching, research, and educational leadership. As a McCalla Professor, Dr. Strickfaden undertook a project that integrates research and teaching to advance new knowledge, design practice, and student learning. The project will advance work on a three-part outdoor winter clothing system for seated clients with disabilities. Opportunities to develop a marketing plan, visual identity, and promotional materials were integrated into HECOL 250 and HECOL 469/569. Congratulations Megan!