About caregiving...

Did you know that one in five people in Quebec is a caregiver, or approximately 1,500,000 people? However, it is important to know that this number is probably higher because many people do not recognize themselves as caregivers.

Am I a caregiver (PPA)?

• I care for my young child or teen with special needs or an illness.
• I provide occasional or daily hygiene and food care to my spouse or parent living with a physical disability.
• I provide support to my mother living with my father – who has suffered a great loss of autonomy and memory – in the coordination of care and banking.
• I am there to listen to, encourage and support the activities of my older brother who is experiencing difficulties related to his mental health condition.
• I offer help to my neighbour, who is temporarily disabled, for transportation, shopping and home maintenance.
• I am providing end-of-life support to my friend.

If you recognize yourself in any of these statements, you are likely a caregiver. Caregivers can be any age and come from any background.

The support you provide to one or more people in your life is essential and can take many forms. The goal of support is to promote the care receiver’s recovery and the preservation and improvement of their quality of life at home or in other living environments.

What are the impacts of caregiving in the life of a PPA?

The role can have several beneficial aspects, such as strengthening relationships with the care receiver, being valued and creating a sense of usefulness.

However, it can also have financial implications for the caregiver, limiting their ability to care for their own physical and mental health or to assume other social and family responsibilities. Many other consequences can be experienced in this role, including difficult emotions (e.g., worry, irritability, anger), anxiety, stress, feeling of being overwhelmed, fatigue, abuse, relationship transformation, isolation, tardiness and absenteeism at work or school, etc.

Recognize to provide better support

Recognizing yourself and being recognized as a caregiver will make you more vigilant regarding the impacts that this role has on your life, your daily activities and your health. This will make you more likely to seek support and help resources to meet your needs and reduce the possible impact on your physical and psychological health. For those around them, recognizing a caregiver makes it possible to better support them in their role.

What services are available for caregivers?

Depending on your situation, the following services may be available to you:

• Respite;
• Individual and/or group psychosocial support;
• Information and training;
• Support in activities of domestic and daily living.

These services can be provided by various organizations, including community organizations, volunteer groups, social economy enterprises or CISSS de l’Outaouais facilities such as the CLSC.

How to access services?

Various programs of the CISSS de l’Outaouais may be able to offer services if the person you are helping is eligible. If you need someone to talk to, access to information or referrals, contact:

INFO-Social (811 option 2) | Talk to a psychosocial worker – 24/7

If the person you are helping is already receiving services from the CISSS de l’Outaouais, contact their caseworker for available services.