Thank you for the question.
Indeed, the role of caregiver is central in the lives of women. Naturally, as mothers, we take care of our children, but this tendency to take care of people in need is widespread. Studies show that some caregivers die before the person they help, because they are so worn out from the work. This is to tell you what this can lead to.
Unfortunately, the health system does not consider the family caregiver to be part of the care plan or file. Many suggest that when a person is taken into care, their caregiver should also receive support.
Another popular suggestion is to officially recognize this work in law. In Quebec, there is a law on caregivers, but it has not yet been applied in the system.
In addition, it is important to offer respite services. Often, it's not a financial issue, even if it has financial consequences; it's that these people never get respite. They are there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and they wear out, just like any other human being. Because they often do it for love, they don't realize the impact on them. There is a real need to offer respite services to caregivers and to conduct a gender analysis.