Madam Chairperson and members of the committee, thank you for accepting our written submission on the impact of caregiving as it relates to women caregivers and for allowing us to make this presentation to the committee.
Whether through telephone or face-to-face conversations or in support groups, we are honoured that hundreds of unpaid caregivers have shared their personal stories with us. It is from those stories that our recommendations have been drawn, but perhaps the most important, overarching message we wish to convey is the need to address challenges experienced by caregivers as far upstream in their journey as possible, before they lose their health and their ability to be productive. It is far more efficient to prevent a break than to try to mend an item after it is broken.