The Statistics Canada General Social Survey found that at some point in their lives 46% of Canadians are providing care, or looking after needs of a family member or friend with long-term health conditions, disability or aging needs. The caregiving responsibilities most often fell to those who are aged 45‐64, and only a slight majority of these caregivers are female (54%). As a caregiver you can have multiple responsibilities such as providing transportation, doing housework, house maintenance and outdoor work, scheduling appoints, managing finances, helping with medical treatments and providing personal care – all while you are working and maybe also caring for children. In fact about one third of caregivers in Canada are also raising children under the age of 18. (Sinha, 2013) It is also important to note that while most reported only providing care to one person, 27% of Canadian caregivers report providing care to two persons, and 15% reported providing care to three or more persons. (Sinha, 2013)

We all think we are too clever to fall for a scam, but even the best and brightest of us can get caught off guard. Scam artists are professional fraudsters, and they work very hard to find new ways to trick us. The majority of scams still happen through phone and email requests. Here are a few current scams to watch for and some tips on how to avoid getting fooled.

Caring for older adults with minor illnesses or reduced mobility issues is often easily incorporated into our lives. Caring for loved ones with serious illnesses, however, may be impossible and probably requires the ongoing intervention of trained health care providers. Caring for a parent with dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease is more stressful than caring for physically frail older adults because of the problems specific to dementia – disorientation, shifts in personality and physical limitations. When symptoms signal the increased need for supervision, a retirement home may be the best solution for all concerned.

We know that practicing mindfulness improves both mental and physical health because it strengthens the part of the brain that helps you cope with anxiety, improves your eating habits and prepares you to face the unexpected without fear. It is not surprising, then, that there is a correlation between mindfulness and safety prevention. Researchers studying the effects of mindfulness have noted response mechanisms to various stimuli, that imply it can help prevent accidents.

Learn about how your back works and basic body mechanics and safe lifting procedures.

Caring for aging parents can be as demanding as a full time job. It can involve helping with medical appointments, shopping, dressing and bathing, housekeeping, house maintenance and running errands. Some or all of these tasks are required on a constant, yet often erratic basis, leaving you on call 24/7. Sometimes you need help with only certain elements of your caregiving regime, and you may be able to access those at the community level. In some areas there is a whole laundry list of services to choose from.

If you are responsible for cleaning your home, chances are you’re also the one with the burden of groceries, cooking, and working a job. The more people that are under your wing, the more exhausting balancing all the responsibilities can get. There are two types of extremes when it comes to housekeeping. One is to live in a constant state of mess, and the other is to be anxious over every untidy spot. Living in a mess is harmful for your physical and mental health, so cleaning is a must. But expecting that you will keep your dwelling spotless every day of the week is unrealistic. You have to accept that unless you stay at home all day and have no children, you cannot have an out of the magazine clean house at all times. There will be a messy room or spot every now and then. Consider the level of cleanliness that is both achievable with the time you have on hand, and acceptable for your comfort, and go from there. It is possible to have a generally clean house all week long however by having a systematic approach to cleaning.

35% of Canada’s workforce provide unpaid care for someone in need. Without effective workplace supports workers who balance work and care responsibilities are more likely to experience reduced performance, increased absences or they may decide to retire early or quit their jobs. This guide will help employers implement a comprehensive carer-inclusive and accommodating program which will ensure that these employees are supportive and productive.

The Canadian Virtual Hospice site provides support and information about palliative and end-of-life care to patients, family members, healthcare providers, researchers and educators.

Home Care Ontario, the voice of home care in Ontario™, is a member-based organization representing providers of quality home care services from across Ontario.

AboutKidsHealth is a health education website for children, youth and their caregivers. It is designed to empower families by making complex health information easy to understand.

28% of the population aged 15 and over, provided care to family members or friends with a long-term health condition, a disability or problems associated with aging. Among these family caregivers, 39% primarily cared for their father or mother, 8% for their spouse or partner, and 5% for their child. The remaining (48%) provided care to other family members or friends.

The Alzheimer Society is the leading not-for-profit health organization working nationwide to improve the quality of life for Canadians affected by Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and advance the search for the cause and cure. Active in communities right across Canada, the Society has programs and services near you.

A carer is a person who takes an unpaid caring role for someone who needs help because of a physical or cognitive condition, an injury or a chronic life-limiting disease. Did you know that 8.1 million Canadians are carers and 50% of these carers are between the ages of 45-65? It is difficult to juggle your work and caregiving responsibilities. Carers Canada is an national coalition of federal and provincial organizations that identifies and responds to the needs of caregivers by promoting awareness of the role and value of carers, supports informing and influencing government policies and programs and stimulates collective action that addresses carers’ priorities and needs.

Seniors for Seniors is a site that combines quality care with companions close in age to those needing support. Sharing common experiences is an essential component of compassionate caregiving. The site can help provide mature companions t assist seniors in living in happier, more independent lives in the comfort of their own home, retirement community or long term care facility.

More than ever before, Canadians play many different roles in their lives. They are workers, parents, spouses, friends, caregivers of elderly relatives and volunteers in their communities. They must also make room in their lives for taking care of their own physical and mental well-being. Not surprisingly, achieving balance among all these competing priorities can be difficult.

As the TED Talk summary says these talks are for when you are feeling worn out, exhausted and bleary-eyed… they are a little something to ease your frustration and get you feeling better.

Developed by the University of British Columbia, The Newell Foundation and Movember Foundation this site is focused on helping men establish health strategies for managing depression. It provides information about depression in men, suicide, risk factors and triggers.

According to the Ontario Caregiver Coalition 1 in 5 Ontarioians are caregivers. This website is designed to help those individuals by providing a listing of provincial and federal resources that family caregivers can contact to inquire about local services or to find peer support.

Caring for Kids provides parents with information about their child’s and teen’s health and well-being. Because the site is developed by the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) you can be sure the information is reliable. The information should not be used as suitable for medical care and advice, if you have specific concerns about your child’s health, please see your child’s paediatrician, family physician or other health care provider.

In 2014, 23.0% of Canadians aged 15 and older reported that most days were ‘quite a bit’ or ‘extremely stressful’. Since 2003, females were more likely than males to report that most days were ‘quite a bit’ or ‘extremely stressful’. In 2014, the rate for females was 23.7%, while for males the rate was 22.3%.

This AI Chatbot was built by scientists to support caregivers. Elizzbot  was developed by SE Health a not-for-profit social enterprise applying knowledge, vision and drive to forever impact how people live and age at home, today and into the future. Elizzbot is designed to use proven therapy techniques to provide unbiased emotional support and to help caregivers practice self care by strengthening emotional resilience and promoting wellbeing.