Okay.
I'll go back to my first point.
The financial insecurity of older adults was well documented, but we wanted to add a more visible dimension. We have to ask ourselves whether this insecurity began well before retirement.
Caregiving is often seen as an act of love, which it is, but it often leads to financial hardship, and those involved bear very significant costs such as transportation, food and home modifications. These costs aren't accounted for, and people aren't compensated for them. Added to this are income-related consequences, such as reduced working hours, temporary or permanent job loss, and benefits that cover 55% of wages and are only available for a limited time. That gap needs to be filled. When an older adult becomes a family caregiver—which is very common—they face multiple vulnerabilities. Family caregiving does not merely provide support; it also exposes caregivers to real financial risks.
Second, family caregivers are an essential defence against abuse, yet they are becoming increasingly vulnerable. Family caregivers play a front-line role in preventing elder abuse because of their regular presence. They enable early detection of abuse, help the person with administrative and financial matters, and reduce the risk of fraud. However, this protective role is conditional on the family caregiver being supported. A caregiver who is exhausted and financially precarious and who lacks official recognition of their role cannot maintain perfect vigilance. In some cases, they themselves may become the target. Caregiver exhaustion and isolation can also create conditions for unintentional abuse or make it easier for an abusive third party to target the older adult. Neglecting family caregivers weakens the only human safety net available to many older adults.
Third, this is an unavoidable societal issue, and this troubling situation will get worse in our rapidly aging population. The number of family caregivers is growing rapidly. Their profiles are becoming more diverse. They include working members of the “sandwich generation,” older adults who are themselves caregivers, and those providing long-term care. These individuals make an immense contribution to enabling seniors to remain in their homes. They directly alleviate pressure on health care systems, and there's no denying that our system needs this. Society benefits, but family caregivers often continue to pay the price.
In conclusion, this is a decisive moment for the federal government. Income support programs for caregivers must be accessible, flexible and grounded in real-life experiences, particularly those of women, who make up the majority of family caregivers and whose numbers are growing as caregiving situations become more burdensome and demanding. This reality directly exacerbates existing economic and occupational inequalities. It must also take into account a broader definition of what constitutes caregiving and include anyone who provides significant support.
To effectively combat elder abuse and financial vulnerability, we must address the root causes of these issues. This means recognizing the real costs of informal caregiving, adapting federal benefits to real life and systematically integrating informal caregiving into all policies related to seniors.
Protecting vulnerable seniors means supporting those who care for them.
Thank you very much.