Green House Project with Bill Thomas (Eden Alternative)

HOME CARE SECTOR IN CANADA: ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

Here is a report by the federal government on the home care sector in Canada. It’s from 2002 so not that fresh, but maybe some interesting information and statistics in there that we can use for our positioning and presentation:

SUMMARY

This document explores several complex demographic and economic issues relating to the home care sector, and highlights certain questions requiring study and, ultimately, collective decisions.

The document shows that massive reliance on informal caregivers to shoulder responsibility for those who are experiencing decreasing independence entails considerable costs, not only for the informal caregivers themselves, but also for businesses, governments and society. It then provides an overview of federal tax measures aimed at reducing the financial burden on informal caregivers and on persons with decreasing independence.  These measures are targeted primarily at the neediest members of society.

The principal human resources problems of the home care sector are also discussed, in particular the workers’ poor pay and difficult working conditions, as well as insufficient access to training.  These problems may adversely affect both the supply and the quality of home care.

The document briefly sets out the most recent proposals to improve the supply of home care in Canada.  It also outlines the measures that would be necessary to offer adequate home care to all citizens and to fund that care, in light of the forecast growth in demand and the demography of informal caregivers.  A greater professionalization of home care supported by adequate funding may be desirable, but the means of achieving this remain to be determined. Models adopted by other countries may inspire the development of a Canadian model.

HBO – The Alzheimer’s Project

Browsing the web and googling “Alzheimer’s documentary”, I came across this documentary series from HBO. I have just watched the “Caregivers” and I felt it was good to see, as it shows them in action with the patients and you get to hear the story from some patients as well. Click on the image below if you have some spare time.

— just watched the Memory Loss Tapes and I highly recommend it. I think watching all four videos will be a benefit —