| Insights on Retaining Employed Family Caregivers in Your Talent PoolAn insight blog post was written and produced in partnership with colleagues at MatchWork, Caregivers Alberta, and Vanier Institute of the Family based on interesting insights from a small crowdsourced survey of employed caregivers. University of Alberta, Caregivers Alberta, Other, Vanier Institute of the Family | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-01-23 | Jacquie Eales, Jon Lai, Janet Fast, Sandy Sereda, Karen McDonald, Nora Spinks |
| New infographic on employed caregivers in CanadaEmployed caregivers contribute to their families’ wellbeing, workplaces, and society, yet their efforts are often invisible to employers, policymakers, and the public.
To increase awareness of their contributions, experiences, and challenges, a series of infographics is being released by Research on Aging, Policies, and Practice (RAPP), a research centre based at the University of Alberta that engages in cross-sectoral partnerships to support the wellbeing of older adults and family/friend caregivers.
Co-created by Andrew Magnaye, Choong Kim, Jacquie Eales, and Janet Fast, this infographic provides updates to key indicators on working caregivers based on analyses of Statistics Canada’s 2018 General Social Survey on Caregiving and Care Receiving.
The first infographic, Who are employed caregivers in Canada?, provides an updated profile of the 5.2 million Canadians aged 19 to 70 who manage work and caregiving responsibilities at the same time.
“The data show that this balancing act is a very common experience among families in Canada, representing more than one in four working-aged Canadians,” said Jacquie Eales, Research Manager at RAPP. “It also reveals that women continue to spend more time on care tasks than men, and that most care is provided in the home and community, by caregivers who also mostly work full-time jobs.” University of Alberta, Vanier Institute of the Family | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-11-30 | Jacquie Eales, Nora Spinks |
| RAPP Infographic: Value of Family Caregiving in CanadaNathan Battams from Vanier Institute of the Family wrote a blog post with input from Jacquie Eales about our estimated economic value of caregiving in Canada. This blog post is on their website and was featured in the VIF regular newsletter distributed to their network. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-02-22 | "Nathan Battams", Jacquie Eales |
| "Something's gotta give": Juggling care work and paid work in mid-lifeKym Schreiner from Alberta Seniors and Housing invited us to host a roundtable discussion for Healthy Aging CORE (Collaborative Online Resources & Education) network. CORE Caregivers connects community-based senior serving professionals, volunteers, and allied partners from all across Alberta who encounter caregivers in their work with resources and support in addition to education and collaboration opportunities. The focus of the roundtable discussion was planned with Kym and other community partners from Caregivers Alberta, Carya Calgary and Dementia Network Calgary.
ABSTRACT: Research shows that mid-life caregivers (age 50+) who provide care to family or friends face challenges remaining in or returning to the labour force. What is the research revealing, what kinds of challenges arise for those juggling care work and paid work, and what kinds of resources need to be available to support them? The roundtable discussion featured: Wendy Moyle (employed caregiver and Board member of Caregivers Alberta); Kenya Kondo (Co-founder of MatchWork, industry partner), Janet Fast (AW researcher), Jacquie Eales (KM specialist) and moderated by Angus Mcdonell (Caregivers Alberta, Stakeholder Relations).
Participants commented that the discussion was thought-provoking and enlightening! Government partners hope to forward a number of our ideas within their policy world.
A recording of the roundtable discussion is available here: https://corealberta.ca/resources/recording-somethings-gotta-give-juggling-care-work-and-paid-work-mid-life-event
MyMatchWork.com promoted the recording across their network on April 7, 2022. Government of Alberta, University of Alberta, Other, Caregivers Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-02-22 | Kym Schreiner, Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast, Karen McDonald, Sandy Sereda, "Wendy Moyle" |
| Making caregivers' contributions visible, valued and sustainableJanet Fast and Jacquie Eales were invited to present to the Alberta Caregivers Focused Coalition recent findings from the 2018 General Social Survey on Caregiving. The presentation highlighted key messages from two infographics co-created with Caregivers Alberta. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-01-18 | Janet Fast, Jacquie Eales |
| 7 reasons we should care about caregiversWe were interviewed by Bev Betkowski from UofA External Relations for a digital news story released on National Caregiver Day, April 4. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-04-04 | Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast, Andrew Magnaye, Choong Kim |
| Family Day imagery neglects family caregivers' care work; it needs to be valuedFamily Day often evokes images of families enjoying the outdoors together, playing board games or sharing a meal. But these images neglect the hidden care that nearly eight million caregivers across Canada provide. The article highlights new research based on analysis of the 2018 General Social Survey that determined the economic value of caregiving in Canada ($97.1 billion to replace families' care work), the magnitude of caregivers' contributions to Canadian society, and the key components of the care economy. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-02-20 | Janet Fast, Jacquie Eales |
| Media interview with CBC Edmonton about women and caregiving during covidJanet Fast was interviewed by Stephanie Dubois of CBC Edmonton. She is working on a story about the huge demand from women in Alberta for the Canada recovery caregiver benefit (one of the programs that replaced CERB). New data published shows that a higher proportion of women applied for the benefit in Alberta compared to other provinces. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2020-12-16 | Janet Fast, "Stephanie Dubois" |
| Quit or get fired - Survey finds 1 in 20 family caregivers overwhelmed by demandsOn Feb 2, 2022 Janet Fast and Jacquie Eales were interviewed by Elise Stolte of CBC Calgary about the 5% of caregivers in Alberta who exit the paid labour force based on our recent infographics about caregivers in Alberta. Elise Stolte subsequently published a CBC News article on caregivers overwhelmed by competing demands, the impact of caregiving on paid employment, and the government and workplace policy options that would help.
Our partners at AGE-WELL and MyMatchWork.com helped to promote the article across their network and social media channels. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-02-22 | Janet Fast, "Elise Stolte" |
| Employed family caregivers in Alberta are more/less likely to work in some occupationsThis 2-page infographic was co-created with our partners based on analysis of Statistics Canada's 2018 General Social Survey. We found that 69% of employed family caregivers in Alberta worked in four sectors:
1. Business, finance and administration
2. Trades, transport and equipment operation
3. Education, law and social, community, and government services
4. Sales and service
Comparing employed Albertans (age 19-70 years) with and without family caregiving responsibilities, we found that employed family caregivers are more strongly represented in inherently flexible occupations, such as occupations in business, finance, and administration, and those in education, law, and social, community and government services. Conversely, they are under-represented in less flexible occupations like sales and service.
The infographic is distributed among our community and government partners for their use in advocacy, education, program and policy development. It's available on our RAPP website at https://rapp.ualberta.ca/snapshot-of-aging/ University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-12-20 | Jacquie Eales, Choong Kim, Andrew Magnaye, Janet Fast |
| How does caregiving impact paid work for employed women and men?This three-page infographic (the second in a series of six) describes the gender differences in the impact of caregiving on paid work. The infographic was co-created with partners based on an analysis of the 2018 General Social Survey on Caregiving and Care Receiving and produced and translated into French in partnership with staff at the Vanier Institute of the Family. A Tweet sheet highlighted key messages for social media promotion by our partners.
How does caregiving impact paid work for employed women and men? EN: https://bit.ly/3GR3IYv FR: https://bit.ly/3ZubMWf and featured on the Vanier Institute of the Family home page https://vanierinstitute.ca/ University of Alberta, Caregivers Alberta, Vanier Institute of the Family | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-01-10 | Andrew Magnaye, Choong Kim, Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast, Sandy Sereda, Nora Spinks |
| How does technology help caregivers?Co-created with Catherine Suridjan, Director of Policy and Knowledge Translation with Carers Canada, and in recognition of caring Canadians, the two-page infographic highlights caregivers' experiences with technology. It was released on April 6, 2021 as part of National Carers Day, promoted on social media, and posted on the Carers Canada and Vanier Institute of the Family websites.
https://www.carerscanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Caregivers-Experiences-with-COVID-and-Technology-EN-FR.pdf University of Alberta, Canadian Home Care Association, Other | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2021-04-06 | Jacquie Eales, Nadine Henningsen |
| How much do employed caregivers contribute to the Canadian economy?This is the sixth and final infographic in a series about employed caregivers in Canada.
We wondered what it would cost to replace employed family caregivers’ unpaid care work with the services of paid home support workers. To calculate the monetary value, we used the national median hourly wage paid to home support workers ($17/hour). We estimated, conservatively, the value of employed family caregivers’ contributions to be $51.5 billion per year, which represents three times the national expenditures on home, long-term, and continuing care services.¹
EN: http://bit.ly/3NrM8he FR: http://bit.ly/3AGhsBg University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-05-01 | Andrew Magnaye, Choong Kim, Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast |
| In which occupations do employed family caregivers work in Canada?This 2-page infographic shows where employed family caregivers in Canada work based on an analysis of Statistics Canada's 2018 General Social Survey. Nearly two-thirds work in these four sectors:
1. Business, finance and administration
2. Sales and service
3. Education, law, and social, community and government services
4. Trades, transport and equipment operation.
The infographic is co-created with and distributed to our partners for advocacy, education, and program and policy development; it's available on the RAPP website at https://rapp.ualberta.ca/snapshot-of-aging/ University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-12-20 | Jacquie Eales, Choong Kim, Andrew Magnaye, Janet Fast |
| NEW Caregivers in Alberta: Economic costs and contributionsA two-page infographic that describes the costs and contributions of caregivers in Alberta, based on new analysis of Statistics Canada's 2018 General Social Survey, was co-created with Caregivers Alberta. The infographic was widely distributed, including being posted to CORE Alberta, the Government of Alberta's Collaborative Online Resources and Education portal. CORE is the knowledge hub for Community-Based Seniors Serving organizations and allied agencies and individuals in Alberta. The infographic was also included in the Alberta Seniors and Housing Minister's newsletter. Caregivers Alberta featured the new infographic in their December 2021 Caregiver Connections newsletter, and they are already using the new statistics in their advocacy work on their social media channels. University of Alberta, Caregivers Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2021-11-03 | Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast, Sandy Sereda, Choong Kim |
| NEW Caregivers in Alberta: impact on wellbeingA two-page infographic that describes the impact of caregiving on the wellbeing of caregivers in Alberta, based on new analysis of Statistics Canada's 2018 General Social Survey, was co-created with Caregivers Alberta. The infographic was widely distributed, including being posted to CORE Alberta, the Government of Alberta's Collaborative Online Resources and Education portal. CORE is the knowledge hub for Community-Based Seniors Serving organizations and allied agencies and individuals in Alberta. The infographic was also included in the Alberta Seniors and Housing Minister's newsletter. Caregivers Alberta featured the new infographic in their December 2021 Caregiver Connections newsletter, and they are already using the new statistics in their advocacy work on their social media channels. University of Alberta, Caregivers Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2021-11-03 | Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast, Sandy Sereda, Choong Kim |
| State of caregiving in Canada (2012 v 2018): Workload intensifies and well-being declinesThis 2-page infographic compares Statistics Canada national survey data from 2012 and 2018 on key indicators. Overall, the workload of family caregiving in Canada has intensified and caregivers' well-being and relationships have declined. More support is needed to sustain family caregivers. The infographic is distributed to our partners for advocacy and program and policy development. It is available on the RAPP website at https://rapp.ualberta.ca/snapshot-of-aging/ University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-12-20 | Jacquie Eales, Choong Kim, Janet Fast |
| Supporting employed caregivers makes good business sense1 in 4 Canadians of employment age (19-70) combine mostly full-time jobs with family caregiving responsibilities. Yet most employers are unaware of the challenges these 5.2 million employees with caregiving responsibilities face and the impact it can have on their business. This fifth infographic (in a series of six) describes the aggregate impact of caregiving on talent retention and productivity and the solutions that help.
EN: http://bit.ly/3nfWRRt FR: http://bit.ly/40TUwsY University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-05-01 | Andrew Magnaye, Choong Kim, Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast |
| Value of Family Caregiving in CanadaBased on analysis of the 2018 General Social Survey on Caregiving and Care Receiving (the most recent national survey available), we created a two-page infographic that highlights the proportion and number of caregivers in Canada, the aggregate amount of time they spend providing care (5.7 billion hours), the economic value of family care work ($97.1 billion or 2.8 million FTE workers), and the magnitude of caregivers' contributions to the Care Economy. Caregivers' aggregate time and value by province were also included.
Release of this infographic was coordinated with an article in The Conversation Canada, and shared in advance with our industry, community and government partners so they could use the findings and promote it across their respective networks and social media channels (including AGE-WELL, CanAge, Canadian Home Care Association, Caregivers Alberta, Family Carers Alberta, MatchWork, Vanier Institute of the Family, University of Manitoba and Sustainable Care in the UK).
Partners have commented on how valuable this resource is, and how often they reference it in their advocacy work. In the first month, the infographic had 293 hits from Canada, France, the USA and seven other countries. Organizations and individuals who retweeted the post during the first week included: Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, National Institute on Ageing, and other influencers. The infographic continues to garner lots of attention, having 83 hits so far in April.
The infographic is available on the University of Alberta RAPP website (rapp.ualberta.ca/snapshot-of-aging) here: bit.ly/3133yLV
University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-02-21 | Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast, "Karen Duncan", Norah Keating, Choong Kim |
| What are the availability and impact of flexible work arrangements for employed caregiversEmployed caregivers often want flexible work arrangements (FWAs) to help them integrate their dual responsibilities of paid jobs and unpaid family caregiving. This fourth infographic (in a series of six) describes employed caregivers’ access to a range of flexible work arrangements and identifies the impact that specific FWAs have on strengthening job security.
EN http://bit.ly/3oVHvSv FR: http://bit.ly/3LJ3YLD University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-05-01 | Andrew Magnaye, Choong Kim, Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast |
| Who are employed caregivers in Canada?We are excited to share the first infographic in our series on employed caregivers in Canada. Our infographics are based on an analysis of the 2018 Statistics Canada General Social Survey on Caregiving and Care Receiving, and co-created with our valued government, community, and industry partners,
Who are employed caregivers in Canada? was posted today to our RAPP website http://bit.ly/3gLR6Ys - and with support from our colleagues at the Vanier Institute of the Family, it was translated into French http://bit.ly/3EMwOWz
In their monthly e-newsletter, the Vanier Institute of the Family included the infographic as part of their column Recent Releases.
Maintaining employment in the face of caregiving is essential to caregivers' financial security. Raising awareness about the challenges employed caregivers face is a first step to strengthening support.
University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-11-30 | Andrew Magnaye, Choong Kim, Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast |
| Who are the employed caregivers at greatest risk of poor work-life balance and job insecurity?Work-life balance and job security are important to all workers, including employed caregivers, and contribute to happier, healthier, and more productive employees. This infographic is the third (in a series of six) that describes how the nature of care puts some employed caregivers at higher risk of poor work-life balance and job insecurity.
https://bit.ly/3zzSlQ1 University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-04-03 | Andrew Magnaye, Choong Kim, Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast |
| Provide evidence to Age Friendly Edmonton ageism infographicsLeading up to the UN International Day of Older Persons on October 1, 2020, Age Friendly Edmonton requested some statistics on the contributions older adults make to society in terms of caregiving, volunteerism and charitable giving. I provided relevant information, including findings based on our analysis of the 2012 General Social Survey on caregivers aged 65+. The infographic is available at https://www.growolderwithme.net/ University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2020-10-01 | Jacquie Eales |
| The Gifts of AgingJacquie Eales was invited as a guest speaker to present to a local Edmonton Public School Board high school class taking the Community Care Program. Jacquie and her 85-year old mother Joan integrated research with lived experience, speaking to the class about the gifts of aging and debunking some of the stereotypes about aging and older adults. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-04-27 | Jacquie Eales, "Joan Eales" |
| National Caregivers Day organizationNadine Henningsen (Carers Canada | Canadian Home Care Association) and Jacquie Eales, with support from AGE-WELL's NMO (Dorina and Karolina), planned activities for National Caregivers Day (April 5, 2022) that focused on balancing work and care. HQP Andrew Magnaye assisted with event coordination, and as chat moderator during one of two catalytic conversations held that day.
NCD activities included:
- Caregivers' experiences (stories about balancing work and care from employees perspectives)
- Employer champions (stories from employers about how they support employees with caregiving responsibilities, including our partner MatchWork)
- two catalytic conversations, including one focused on Balancing Work and Care: Strategies for Meaningful Employment, that Jacquie and Andrew organized.
- communication toolkit (key messages, employee infographic and employer infographic)
- federal recognition in the form of videos from Prime Minister Trudeau, three federal cabinet ministers, leaders of the Conservative Party of Canada and New Democratic Party of Canada, and the Shadow Minister for Seniors. University of Alberta, Canadian Home Care Association, Other, KITE Research Institute at University Health Network | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-04-05 | Jacquie Eales, Nadine Henningsen, Andrew Magnaye, Dorina Simeonov, Karolina Jalowska |
| Health Economic Model & Demo of Team CarePalCindy Sim, CEO of Team CarePal hosted an information session and demonstration of their app Team CarePal. She said: "I would like to extend a heartfelt gratitude to Janet Fast for her outstanding research and dedicated focus on the economics of aging, as well as the unpaid care work and paid work of family members. Without trailblazers like her, Team CarePal would not have been able to offer such a comprehensive, evidence-based analysis of our main value drivers and the potential for health improvement and cost savings. This collaboration exemplifies how we can achieve remarkable feats when we work together towards a common goal."
University of Alberta | Networking and Partnerships | 2023-04-14 | Janet Fast, "Cindy Sim" |
| Caregiving in the 21st Century: How can technology support caregivers?Jacquie Eales spoke at a public event co-sponsered by the Brenda Strafford Centre of Aging at the University of Calgary, AGE-WELL and the Canadian Frailty Network. Titled Growing Older, Growing Smarter, registration was capped at 250 people and more than 200 people attended! The audience was highly engaged and my presentation was well-received. University of Alberta | Scientific Excellence - Leadership | 2022-09-27 | Jacquie Eales |
| Summit on the Aging Workforce keynote on Family Caregiving and EmploymentThe Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with CPHR Alberta, proudly hosted the “Summit on the Aging Workforce” on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at the Westin Edmonton. Attracting and supporting a diverse workforce is key to the success of any business. With widespread labour and workforce talent shortages threatening growth and sustainability, many organizations are looking at their recruitment and retention strategies. Workers that are 55 years or older can help offset existing and future shortages, mentor younger workers while allowing older workers to earn income, save or invest for retirement, reduce social isolation, and stay connected to the broader society.
Janet was interviewed by conference organizers about her work, and she was invited to present at the Summit. Her keynote presentation focused on Family Caregiving and Employment.
University of Alberta | Scientific Excellence - Leadership | 2023-06-08 | Janet Fast |
| Valuing Family Caregivers' Contributions to the Care Economy University of Alberta | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2023-07-04 | Janet Fast, "Karen Duncan", Choong Kim, Norah Keating |
| Help caregivers THRIVE April 4 and every dayArticle appeared in Respect News written by Caregivers Alberta, and featuring research evidence co-created with the University of Alberta about the aggregate hours of care provided by caregivers in Alberta and the economic value of that time as well as the impact of caregiving on caregivers' health, jobs, and financial wellbeing. Caregivers Alberta, University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-04-26 | Sandy Sereda, Jacquie Eales |
| Petro Canada Roundtable on the Future of Caregiving in CanadaPetro Canada has identified caregiving as a national priority and has made a long term commitment to support this important social issue. They recently established a new charitable organization to ensure caregivers are given the support they need.
Organized by impakt, on behalf of Petro Canada, Jacquie Eales was invited to participate in a virtual roundtable where leaders in the caregiving space discussed how to best support carers and nurture a community of caring. As a caregiver advocate and research manager, my name was put forward by Mark Stolow of Huddol.
As part of the preparations for the roundtable, impakt conducted a survey of the main factors that need to be considered when having a national conversation about supporting caregivers. Key findings from this survey fed into the roundtable conversations and the position paper that was written, informed by input of participants, will help the new charity begin to improve awareness of the conditions and support needed for caregivers across Canada.
On November 20, 2020 Petro-Canada launched its new foundation (Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation), a philanthropic organization to help organizations who support family caregivers across the country, and the report from the roundtables, available here: https://futureofgood.co/petro-canada-caremakers-foundation/ Suncore Energy is promising to invest $10 million over 5 years into supporting caregiver organizations across the country. The aim to bring awareness and support to the essential work of caregivers.
University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2020-09-29 | Jacquie Eales |
| Caring beyond borders: Financial well-being of transnational familiesPresentation by HQP Andrew Magnaye and industry partner and transnational caregiver Kenya Kondo as part the EPIC Conference, Challenge Area 8. | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2023-06-02 | Andrew Magnaye, "Kenya Kondo" |
| Integrating paid work and unpaid care workSponsored by the Vanier Institute of the Family, we submitted an invited abstract for a panel discussion to the Work Family Researchers Network conference in Montreal in June 2024.
Abstract
All of us will experience caring for family members, friends and neighbours, as givers or receivers of care, at some time in our lives. Positive and negative implications of taking on care responsibilities are well-documented with a focus in the academic literature, as well as policy and practice, on negative social, health, employment and financial consequences. Child care has been the subject of extensive research, and of substantial innovation in Human Resource (HR) practice and public policy, over many decades. While caring for dependent adults (caregiving) has attracted much less
attention, a growing body of evidence shows it to be no less impactful for families, society and the economy. Yet, it often is assumed to be “free”, a “labour of love” and a private family matter, much as child care was 50 years ago. In this session we share evidence about the recent history of family caregiving in Canada, focusing on employed caregivers, and emerging policy and practice to support employed caregivers. Fast reports on changes in the experiences of family caregivers in Canada, focusing on their need and ability to integrate paid work with unpaid care work, over the last decade. Magnaye shares findings from his conversations about the unique experiences of transnational employed caregivers. Gregory describes efforts of caregiver-serving NGOs to build caregiver-friendly policies and practices. Kovacic (to be confirmed) addresses how HR professionals can nurture a culture that values professional and caregiving responsibilities in the workplace. Tremblay will comment on data and program gaps in support of employed caregiver well-being. University of Alberta, Caregivers Alberta | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2023-11-15 | Janet Fast, Andrew Magnaye, Sandy Sereda, "Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay", "Steve Kovacic" |
| Alberta Continuing Care Act legislative review inputTo support the healthcare system, vulnerable Albertans, and caregivers, Caregivers Alberta – in conjunction with the Alberta Caregivers Focused Coalition (a strategic alliance of 63 organizations in Alberta committed to improving support for caregivers) – we were invited to, and provided input on, modernizing the Continuing Care Act in Alberta. Our submission aimed to improve caregiver wellbeing by enshrining five principles, to the extent possible, within the new Act. The following principles speak to the core of our proposal:
1) That caregivers should be referenced in legislation in a way that allows them to access continuing care services;
2) That continuing care services enable caregivers to achieve outcomes that support them in their daily caregiving activities;
3) That reflects a holistic definition of caregiver wellbeing that encompasses physical, psychological, social and material outcomes;
4) That caregivers be considered the best judges of what constitutes well-being for them;
5) That decisions about the provision of supports consider and respect caregivers’ other linked life
circumstances (e.g., other caregiving responsibilities, family responsibilities, living circumstances, etc.)
The Facility-Based Continuing Care Review Recommendations Report was released on May 31, 2021 and will be going to Cabinet for consideration in the fall of 2021 along with a detailed action plan on how to implement the recommendations. Despite the evidence presented, and our expressed concerns about the impact of client-directed care (also known as self-managed care) on family caregivers, the provincial government decided to implement client-directed care across the province. That being said, they are well aware of the need to reduce the administrative burden on caregivers, and as a result, they have enlisted Alberta Blue Cross to complete the administrative pieces of the program. Alberta Blue Cross is reportedly very good at this work and creating streamlined programs. Clients/families will steer how they want services delivered, and the agency can direct bill up to the assessed hours. They are starting with a demonstration project in Edmonton, including conducting focus groups with clients/families to hear their feedback.
More work will be needed as recommendations are considered and implemented. University of Alberta, Caregivers Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2021-02-17 | Janet Fast, Sandy Sereda |
| Informing Bill C-220, Compassionate Bereavement BillJanet Fast provided research evidence to inform MP Matt Jeneroux's Private Members Bill C-220, Compassionate Bereavement Bill. As Matt Jeneroux wrote: "This bill has been the result of a lot of hard work over the past year-and-a-half and I appreciate everyone who’s taken the time to meet, to offer feedback and suggestions and to check in on its progress." All parties supported the merit of this bill which passed all three readings in the House of Commons with unanimous votes, and the Senate. The Bill is awaiting Royal Assent. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2021-05-12 | Janet Fast |
| Life course trajectories of family care: Implications for care policyWe wrote a one-page Research Policy Snapshot for the Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) based on findings from analyzing the 2012 General Social Survey on Caregiving and Care Receiving and the policy implications of this research. The Research Policy Snapshot was a new initiative of the CRDCN to facilitate knowledge mobilization to policy analysts. We worked iteratively with CRDCN over several months on this new initiative as they developed a template. Our research policy snapshot and supplementary information was included in the inaugural digest, volume 1, number 1 in January 2022.
Karolina Jalowska retweeted the post on AGE-WELL's Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.
https://crdcn.ca/app/uploads/2022/01/Life-course-trajectories-of-family-care-Implications-for-care-policy-Jan-2022.pdf University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-01-31 | Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast |
| Caregivers Kitchen Table Discussion with ADM Dana MackieA small group of stakeholders, including Jacquie Eales, Jasneet Parmar, and the Executive Director and Program Lead from Caregivers Alberta, had an informal, in-person discussion about caregiving with Assistant Deputy Minister Dana Mackie and the Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services (SCSS) team. The discussion focused on solutions to sustain family caregivers' contributions in Alberta, leveraging the mandate of SCSS where possible. Overall, to develop effective policies, it is essential to:
• Recognize changing work and family patterns, age structures, and other socio-demographic characteristics of caregivers and their collective needs and resources, particularly at the interface of work and care, and barriers to older workers' labour force participation
• Integrate family/friend care as part of the formal care system – caregiving is a shared responsibility
• Support the material, relational, and subjective well-being of family caregivers to reduce the cumulative impact of caregiving across the life course and address inequities arising because of living arrangements, generational cohort, immigration status, and gender.
Participants were:
• ADM Dana Mackie, Seniors Division, Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services (SCSS)
• Jas Chana, A/Executive Director, Seniors Strategic Planning Branch
• Angella Gautier, SCSS
• Kym Schreiner, SCSS
• Darrel Gregory, Executive Director, Caregivers Alberta
• Johnna Lowther, Manager, Programs and Services, Caregivers Alberta
• Jasneet Parmar, Alberta Health Services Home Living
• Sharon Anderson, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta
• Bev Suntjens, Vice Dean, Faculty of Health Studies, NorQuest College
Ayshea Thornton, Manager, Health Projects, NorQuest College
• Jacquie Eales, RAPP Research Manager, University of Alberta
University of Alberta, Alberta Health Services, Caregivers Alberta, Government of Alberta | Networking and Partnerships | 2023-08-28 | Jacquie Eales, Jasneet Parmar, Sandy Sereda, Kym Schreiner |
| Press release for National Caregiver DaySarah Vernon from UofA Media Affairs wrote a press release in collaboration with Jacquie Eales for National Caregiver Day on April 4, 2023. The press release generated four media interviews! University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-04-04 | Jacquie Eales |
| 630 CHED Radio live interviewChelsea from 630 CHED Radio interviewed Jacquie Eales on air about employed caregivers. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-04-04 | Jacquie Eales |
| Guilt, love and dedication: Caregivers share stories from across Alberta through CBC's call-in showJacquie Eales participated in CBC radio's call-in show Alberta@Noon with host Judy Aldous to discuss the challenges people face in wanting to grow older in their own homes, relying on the support of adult children, spouses and friends to make it happen. Albertans shared their stories of trying to make aging in place a reality. Many shared stories of how care work is unsustainable, especially alongside paid work. On air, Jacquie promoted the support available through Caregivers Alberta, who subsequently assisted in promoting the interview across their social media channels to educate the public. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-02-07 | Jacquie Eales, "Judy Aldous" |
| Disability, Family Care, and Inclusive WorkplacesWork Family Research Network Conference in New York City, June 23-25, 2022
Discussion roundtable organized by Lisa Maureen Stewart, California State University, Monterey Bay; Claudia Sellmaier, University of Washington; Eileen M Brennan, Portland State University.
Recent research has examined the complex situation of workers affected by their disabilities, by providing care for family members having disabilities or health problems, and by seeking full inclusion in their workplaces. As we learn more about both the challenges and opportunities faced by these diverse workers, care responsibilities that affect their engagement in the workplace, and organizational practices that promote full inclusion, new questions arise that are crucial to discuss. Members of WFRN’s Networking Community on Disability, Work, and Family have identified compelling and current questions that need to be considered to better improve about those workers with disabilities or with exceptional care responsibilities, and the response of the organizations that employ them. We are proposing to conduct a roundtable discussion that will consider major questions being explored in current research studies which address the key areas of disability, family care, and workplace inclusion. Each member of our team of 10 discussants from Canada, Croatia, United Kingdom, and United States will identify questions based on their recent research findings. Our roundtable discussion also aims to influence future investigations, shape their emerging questions, and reveal policy issues that flow from current studies and need to be informed by new research. Areas to be discussed include: • What are the criteria for disclosure at work of information regarding the worker’s disability or a family member’s need for disability or special health care? • What community resources and adjustments are effective in assisting workers with disabilities or exceptional care responsibilities to maintain employment and their well-being? • How have COVID-19 and the associated shut-downs affected families with exceptional care responsibilities? • How can immigrant workers with disability concerns be supported as they simultaneously deal with work demands and family responsibilities? • Are there generational differences in the experiences of caregivers who have provided disability care to family members? • What cultural and identity differences affect the full inclusion of workers with disabilities, or who provide disability care, within their communities and workplaces? • What are the sources of inequity in the allocation of care work by gender, income, living arrangements, and generational cohort? • As employees strive for full inclusion within their workplaces, how can organizations better develop policies and practices that make it possible for those with disabilities or exceptional care responsibilities to reach full inclusion and more positive work-family spillover? • Which policy levers can be used to more fully integrate people with disabilities and/or exceptional care responsibilities into the workforce and deal with equity issues for those providing unpaid care? • What are the most pressing research issues needing further exploration to help workers with disabilities or exceptional care responsibilities achieve the work and family outcomes they most value? University of Alberta | Scientific Excellence - Advancing Knowledge | 2022-06-23 | Janet Fast, "Karen Duncan", Norah Keating |
| CTV Morning Live interviewKent Morrison interviewed Jacquie Eales on CTV Morning Live about employed caregivers in Canada. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-04-05 | Jacquie Eales |
| The Caregiver BurdenCaregivers Alberta invited Jacquie Eales to bring her research perspective to two videos they were creating about caregivers: What is a Caregiver? The Caregiver Burden. Caregivers Alberta uses these videos in their education and outreach programs for caregivers. They are also posted on their YouTube channel. Caregivers Alberta, University of Alberta | Product | 2023-07-12 | Sandy Sereda, Jacquie Eales |
| What is a caregiver?Caregivers Alberta invited Jacquie Eales to bring her research perspective to two videos they were creating about caregivers: What is a Caregiver? The Caregiver Burden. Caregivers Alberta uses these videos in their education and outreach programs for caregivers. They are also posted on their YouTube channel. Caregivers Alberta, University of Alberta | Product | 2023-07-12 | Sandy Sereda, Jacquie Eales |
| Balancing work and care: strategies for meaningful employmentApril 5 is National Caregiver Day when we recognize the nearly 8 million Canadians who care for family and friends who have chronic health conditions, disabilities or functional limitations. Combining care work and paid work is the norm for many employed Canadians, with caregivers making up 30-35% of the paid workforce. Join a catalytic conversation with our panelists to discuss the challenges of balancing paid work and unpaid caregiving responsibilities, the marketable ‘soft’ skills that caregivers acquire as part of their care journey, and how employers can benefit from and better support caregivers in the workplace.
The webinar covered:
● Challenges of balancing paid work and unpaid care responsibilities What’s working and what’s not?
● Ways to support caregivers in the workplace: technology, policies, and practices.
Panelists:
● Wendy Moyle, employed caregiver and owner of Wendy’s Errands for Elders
● Janet Fast, Professor, Department of Human Ecology, University of Alberta and AGE-WELL researcher
● Kenya Kondo, Co-founder, MyMatchWork.com
● Frank Monteleone, Chief People Officer & President, Rexall Care Network
Moderator:
● Jacquie Eales, Research Manager, Research on Aging, Policies and Practice (RAPP), University of Alberta
Sponsors:
● AGE-WELL NCE
● Canadian Home Care Association / Carers Canada
● University of Alberta, Research on Aging, Policies and Practice
The webinar was recorded and will be posted on the AGE-WELL You Tube Channel and Carers Canada's website.
University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2022-04-13 | Jacquie Eales, Janet Fast, "Wendy Moyle", "Kenya Kondo", "Frank Monteleone" |
| Caregivers Concierge launch eventEMD Serono is launching a new platform – Caregivers Concierge – an online resource that will make finding local resources easier for the more than one million unpaid caregivers in Alberta. We are planning to launch the platform at a virtual kick-off event, call ‘Embracing Carers in Alberta’ during Caregiver Awareness Month in May. During the May 24 event, we will be facilitating a panel conversation featuring expert panelists to share their professional knowledge and speak to their experience in research, advocacy, and/or working with caregivers in the province. Jacquie Eales will speak to her more than two decades of research experience on family caregiving.
University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-05-24 | Jacquie Eales |
| Embracing Carers in AlbertaSponsored by EMD Serono, a virtual panel discussion has been organized as part of their launch of Caregiver Concierge platform. Panel members include: Janet Fast (researcher, University of Alberta), Johnna Lowther (Director of Programs, Caregivers Alberta) and John-Peter Bradford, caregiver, cancer survivor, co-CEO and co-founder of the Life-Saving Therapies Network. The focus of the panel discussion is on the latest research and trends in caregiver wellbeing in Alberta, and available resources that can support the more than one million unpaid caregivers in this province. Jacquie Eales provided background context to the consultants and fact-checked and revised their discussion guide based on available evidence. University of Alberta, Caregivers Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-06-14 | Janet Fast, Jacquie Eales, Sandy Sereda |
| Enhancing the Employability of Older WorkersAs part of AgeTech Innovation Week, we organized a catalytic conversation on enhancing the employability of older workers featuring four panel members: Roger Marple (AW Older Adults and Caregivers Advisory Committee), Kenya Kondo (co-founder of MyMatchWork.com), Laura Tamblyn Watts (CEO, CanAge) and Janet Fast (Professor, University of Alberta and AW researcher). Jacquie Eales co-developed the guiding script based on interviews with panel members, and she moderated the discussion. Panelists discussed how to help people who experience challenges to work: by redressing misconceptions, by co-developing technology solutions, and by advocating for better workplace and public policies.
The recording was posted to the AW YouTube Channel and subsequently offered by MyMatchWork.com as an Age-Tech Webinar, thereby maximizing impact. University of Alberta, Other, CanAge | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2021-10-05 | Jacquie Eales, Roger Marple, Janet Fast, Karen McDonald, Laura Tamblyn Watts |
| Experiences in Caregiving during COVID-19: What have we learned?In recognition of National Carers Day on April 6, 2021, we convened a catalytic conversation about experiences in caregiving during COVID-19: what have we learned? Sponsored by AGE-WELL, the panel discussion brought together Ron Beleno, Co-Chair of the AW Older Adult and Caregivers Advisory Committee; Catherine Suridjan, Director of Policy and Knowledge Translation, Canadian Home Care Association | Carers Canada; Janet Fast, Professor, University of Alberta and AW Research; and Nora Spinks, CEO Vanier Institute of the Family. The webinar was recorded and subsequently posted on the Carers Canada website and AGE-WELL's YouTube channel. University of Alberta, Independent, Canadian Home Care Association, Other, Vanier Institute of the Family | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2021-04-06 | Janet Fast, Ron Beleno, Nadine Henningsen, Nora Spinks |
| Valuing Family Caregivers: The Social and Personal ImperativeJanet Fast was part of an invited panel on the Alberta Association on Gerontology (AAG) Futures Policy Forum (sixth session) on Valuing Care and Family Caregivers. Speakers also included: Janet Badets from Statistics Canada, Dr. Richard Lewanczuk from Alberta Health Services, and Johnna Lowther from Caregivers Alberta. Dr. Sharon Anderson, co-developer of the Caregivers-Centred Care curriculum for health care practitioners, facilitated the session. Over 500 people registered for the session and 200 people participated in the webinar. Positive feedback was obtained on the knowledge gained and the flow of the presentations made by speakers. University of Alberta | KTEE - Knowledge Mobilization | 2023-01-18 | Janet Fast |
| Work and Care Advisory TeamJanet Fast has been invited to join Caregivers Alberta's newly formed Work and Care Advisory Team comprised of business representatives (HR managers and other relevant management), caregiver employees, and our research partners. Caregivers Alberta is developing an education program to support caregivers in the workplace as well as their employers. The research is crystal clear – the impact of caregiving is taking a toll on employees and affecting productivity. They want to offer a solution and would like our help to develop an evidence-based curriculum to help employers create carer-friendly environments for their employees. They are in the early stages of development. University of Alberta | Scientific Excellence - Leadership | 2023-02-15 | Janet Fast |
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