Status of Women committee  I do think that caregivers primarily are looking for recognition and inclusion as a part of the health care team and as a part of the health care system. There's a microcomponent to this when it comes to the individual care of the person they're caring for. This doesn't mean simply being something like a substitute decision-maker.

Status of Women committee  I'm not able to comment on the provisions within long-term care or other settings. I'm not sure if that was the full extent of your question, but that's just not an area where we have insight. Is there another part of your question that I may answer?

Status of Women committee  Thank you for that question. I'll draw on different sources of data. In terms of the helpline, we have a 24-7 helpline available in English and French that people can call. It actually speaks to the comments that were just made to the previous question on what supports are available in my community and how to reach them.

Status of Women committee  Our organization focuses on those unpaid caregivers, so I'm not in a position to speak to other roles that may be professional caregiving roles, such as personal support workers, etc. What we do find is that people reach out to our organization because there is not information or support consistently across the country.

Status of Women committee  One of the themes we've heard in the questions is, where would we like additional data? I think your question highlights an area where we would all benefit from additional data in terms of the particular needs of people from different communities. What I can tell you anecdotally from what we hear from caregivers is that one of the challenges they may face in going into different health care settings is barriers to access based on language or based on a lack of understanding, if they're a newcomer, about how the system may work.

Status of Women committee  I would very much echo those comments in terms of the kinds of programs and supports people are looking for. One of the most common requests we receive on our helpline is how someone can get moved up on a wait-list. If we look at respite support, there's a desperate need for respite support for a caregiver in distress, but they are going to have to wait weeks or months to get it.

Status of Women committee  That's an interesting question. I don't have specific data on that, but I think the statistics on what caregivers are paying out of pocket are very notable. When you have 80% of caregivers saying that they are responsible for paying the expenses of the person they are caring for, that gives cause for pause.

Status of Women committee  Thank you. It's a really important question, and there are so many different layers to it. First, I think it's important that you know about the positive feedback we have received from caregivers on the caregiver benefit. It is a welcome opportunity for caregivers to be recognized for their commitment and the sacrifices they make as a part of their caregiving role.

Status of Women committee  Similar to CIHI, we take a non-advocacy position on these things. We have been a part of a weekly round table focused specifically on long-term care, and the direction of that dialogue has certainly been in support of that among a wide group of stakeholders who have a very vested interest in long-term care.

Status of Women committee  This is a really critical question. We know that some caregivers feel safe and comfortable raising the issue of their caregiving responsibilities with their employers. However, some do not. They fear reprisal or even termination in asking for something as simple as understanding, or for practical accommodations or modifications to their work circumstances.

Status of Women committee  Thank you and good morning to the members of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. I really appreciate the opportunity to present to you here today. I am here as the CEO of the Ontario Caregiver Organization, a non-advocacy organization that gives voice to Ontario's caregivers and provides research, support programs and services to caregivers with the goal of enhancing the caregiver experience in Ontario.