The Juggling Act: Balancing Work and Eldercare in Canada

Managing Canada’s aging population is an issue of growing importance. One aspect that has been highlighted in recent years is the increased need for employed Canadians to also provide eldercare. Several demographic factors contribute to this growing need, including longer life spans, delayed retirement, more women in the labour force, reduced fertility rates, and the high cost of private eldercare.

Caring for an elderly loved one may bring significant physical, emotional, and financial pressure.
Human resources and business leaders must understand the impact of eldercare on their employees and on the organization. Employers need to build the necessary skills and competencies to navigate these issues. Successfully implemented eldercare strategies can achieve positive results for the caregiving employee, the workplace, and the organization as a whole.

This briefing examines eldercare trends and issues in Canada, highlighting the ways in which eldercare obligations affect employees and employers and presenting a range of accommodation solutions and best practices for implementation.