November is recognized as Caregivers Awareness Month by many organizations in North America. A caregiver or carepartner is an individual who cares for someone who needs help due to a physical or cognitive condition, an injury or a chronic illness. In Canada, there are over 8 million caregivers/carepartners.
Did you know?
- 1 in 4 Canadians are caregivers/carepartners
- 50% of caregivers/carepartners are between 45 and 65 years old
- 54% of caregivers/carepartners are women
- Caregivers/carepartners contribute $25 billion in unpaid labour to our health care system
Source: Carers Canada
Parkinson Society British Columbia (PSBC) wishes to acknowledge caregivers/carepartners year-round. This is why we strive to offer useful, extensive resources for caregivers/carepartners. Our services consist of:
- Consultation at the PSBC office or by phone
- Free, confidential short-term counselling services for people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones
- Viewpoints, quarterly newsletter with up-to-date information on scientific research, medication, caregiving, nutrition and other relevant topics
- Educational events throughout BC featuring experts in Parkinson’s research and treatment
- PD Link Program
- A network of over 50 support groups province-wide
- Advocacy for improved healthcare and access to medications
PSBC also offers a comprehensive selection of online resources for caregivers/carepartners, such as our Carepartner Connect Webinar. Additional resources include videos from our Time Out for Caregivers session in Burnaby, as well as the following help sheets:
