'Cheaper' for Whom? At what Cost?



Mom's day is enriched by reading Charles Dickens' "David Copperfield" over Facetime on her iPad to her son, who is commuting home from work from New Jersey to Long Island. Mom is living at home in Vancouver, BC.

It is unconscionable that policies that shift the work of providing caregiving infrastructure to family homes has not been supported by evidence-based data. This evidence-based data would provide information necessary to ensure the transfer of roles and responsibility are properly supported so that family caregivers are positioned to succeed in their work to care for a loved on in lieu of institutionalized care.

At present, where is the evidence-based data to support early discharge, aging in place, and hospital in the home? How is it possible to say caregiving is cheaper in family homes when we have no data to support such a claim? What does 'cheaper' even mean? For whom? At what cost?

Part of the problem is that caregivers are often thrust into their caregiving situation by a medical crisis and they have not had time to understand what it means to assume this role and these responsibilities. This means family caregivers are going to be the last stakeholders to actually understand the forces of legislation, policy and bureaucracy that have resulted in the demands they are now working to fulfill.

It is up to all of us, caregivers and supporters of caregivers, to make our argument and make our case for adequate quantification and support of caregiving in family homes.

We know our caregivers are under tremendous pressure meeting the needs of their care recipient within current institutional and government neglect. We also know that, if 1 in 4 Canadians is providing direct caregiving service, then 3 of 4 Canadians are benefiting from their work. 

I wonder, can we activate those 3 of 4 Canadians to demand adequate research, policy and legislation to support a rationale plan for family caregivers? Can we help them understand the importance of their civic and social duty to improve the situation?

#work #research #medical #infrastructure #hospital #data#familycaregiver #healthsystem #paradigmshift

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